Speculation about the fate of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan erupted online this week after a series of unverified reports claimed he had died inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The rumours intensified when Khan’s three sisters — Noreen Niazi, Aleema Khan, and Dr. Uzma Khan — alleged they were “brutally” assaulted by authorities as they attempted to meet him, saying they have not been allowed access to their brother for more than three weeks.
The frenzy began after Afghan media outlet Afghanistan Times published an unconfirmed report claiming that the 72-year-old PTI chairman had “succumbed to alleged mistreatment” in custody and that his body had been secretly removed from the prison. A separate statement posted by a self-styled Balochistan “foreign ministry” also alleged that Pakistan’s intelligence services and Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir had conspired to assassinate Khan, calling it an act that would “collapse Pakistan’s remaining legitimacy” if proven true.
However, Pakistani officials quickly dismissed the claims, saying there is no evidence to support the reports. Government sources compared the rumours to similar false claims circulated earlier this year. Social media images purporting to show Khan in a hospital bed have also been debunked as old or fabricated.
Tensions outside Adiala Jail eased late Wednesday when Aleema Khan and PTI supporters ended their sit-in after police assured them that family visits would be arranged. According to ARY News, authorities have now guaranteed the family access to the former prime minister later Thursday and again next Tuesday, prompting protesters to peacefully disperse.
Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 after being convicted in multiple corruption cases. His family and legal team say he is being kept in harsh isolation. Aleema Khan previously claimed he is confined to a “death cell,” a type of unit normally reserved for high-risk terrorism detainees. Lawyers allege that even books, essential items and legal access have been restricted, with one lawyer describing the conditions as “the law of the jungle.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has also reportedly been denied visits, despite making seven attempts to see Khan. His team says prison authorities are acting under the direction of an army officer.
As of now, there is no confirmed information that Imran Khan is dead, and Pakistani authorities continue to insist he is alive in custody. However, the lack of transparency, the extended ban on meetings and the harsh restrictions reported by his family and lawyers have fueled public distrust and allowed rumours to spread at lightning speed.