A bombshell report from an Afghan news outlet claiming Imran Khan’s death in custody has ignited violent protests and a political firestorm in Pakistan, as authorities scramble to deny the allegations amid growing public outrage.
A report published by Afghanistan-based news outlet Afghanistan Times on November 26 has triggered a political crisis in Pakistan. The publication claimed, citing what it described as “credible sources,” that former Prime Minister and PTI chairperson Imran Khan had been killed inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. According to the Afghanistan Times report, the 72-year-old leader had “succumbed to alleged mistreatment” in custody, and his body had purportedly been moved out of the prison facility. The explosive claim spread rapidly across social media platforms, creating widespread panic and anger among Khan’s supporters.
Sisters Denied Meeting Amid Growing Tensions
Hours before the controversial report surfaced, tensions were already escalating outside Adiala Jail. For the second consecutive time, jail authorities denied visiting rights to Khan’s sisters – Aleema Khan, Dr. Uzma, and Noreen Niazi. This decision sparked immediate protests by PTI workers and opposition alliance members. Khan’s sisters, alongside prominent PTI leaders including Salman Akram Raja, TTAP chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, MNA Shahid Khattak, and provincial minister Meena Khan, had gathered with hundreds of supporters near the factory checkpoint. When authorities denied them entry to the prison, the protest intensified significantly. Demonstrators raised slogans against the government, alleged a complete media blackout, and accused authorities of “illegally isolating” the former Prime Minister.
Pakistan Rejects Claim, Calls It Another Hoax
Pakistani government officials swiftly dismissed the Afghanistan Times report, comparing it to similar false claims that had circulated in May this year about Khan’s supposed killing. During the earlier incident, several fabricated social media posts had alleged that Khan had been shot or assaulted in prison, claims that were later debunked by official sources. An unverified press release, falsely attributed to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had also been widely shared online, wrongly claiming that Imran Khan had died. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting subsequently issued an official press release declaring the news “fake” and urging the public to “reject irresponsible behaviour.” Despite these official rebuttals, the latest report from Afghan media has deepened anxieties among Khan’s supporters, who continue to accuse the government of isolating him and systematically blocking routine family access.
‘Sinister Psy-Op’: PTI Raises Concern Over Ex-PM’s Health
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party described the Afghanistan Times report as a “sinister psy-op” while simultaneously accusing Pakistani authorities of placing Imran Khan in extreme isolation. Aleema Khan made serious allegations that her brother was being held in a “death cell” typically reserved for terrorists. Other PTI leaders, including Gohar Ali Khan, claimed that the former Prime Minister was being deprived of even basic amenities inside the jail and that his health was deteriorating rapidly. Party officials insisted that repeated attempts by family members to check on Khan’s well-being had been systematically blocked without explanation, and that he was being treated like a hardened criminal rather than a former head of state.
Sisters File Complaint Over Police Action
In a formal letter addressed to Pakistan’s Punjab police chief Usman Anwar, Khan’s sisters detailed their allegations of police brutality during what they described as a peaceful demonstration held late on Tuesday night. They claimed that authorities had employed orchestrated tactics against protesters, including suddenly switching off all street lights in the area to deliberately plunge the protest site into darkness. The sisters alleged that this was followed by what they termed “orchestrated violence” from Punjab police officers. They further claimed that media personnel were deliberately kept away from the protest site to prevent coverage of the events, and that policemen had physically dragged them away when they attempted to hold a peaceful protest outside the jail premises. Khan has remained incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since 2023, serving various convictions amid an ongoing series of legal battles and trials.
Online Storm Continues, Afghan Report Remains Unverified
The Afghanistan Times article continued to circulate widely across social media platforms in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, despite the absence of independent verification from any credible official source. The Pakistani government maintained its position that Imran Khan is alive and well, characterizing the foreign media claim as completely baseless. However, PTI supporters and opposition leaders continued to demand concrete proof of Khan’s well-being and insisted on unrestricted family access to the former Prime Minister. The situation remained highly volatile, with the potential for further large-scale protests and political unrest as the standoff between Khan’s supporters and government authorities showed no signs of resolution. The incident highlighted the deepening political divisions within Pakistan and the growing challenges to institutional credibility in the South Asian nation.
SOURCE :- republicworld.com
