Imran Khan’s sons, Sulaiman and Kasim Khan, have expressed grave concern over the health and prison conditions of their father, alleging that the former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister is facing prolonged isolation and inadequate medical care.
Our fears were confirmed when, instead of being taken to the private hospital, where he was meant to be taken, he was just taken to a government medical facility for a few hours, and then taken straight back to jail,” said Sulaiman. “They are not even acting with any kind of strategy any more. It is not very clear what they are doing, just blatantly trying to kill him in there. Keep him in as long as possible, and silence him. He has been relating it to other political prisoners who have been killed or who have died in prison. Sulaiman and Kasim also spoke about their attempts to travel to Pakistan to see their father. “We were cautiously optimistic. Instead, they left all the doctors waiting, our auntie waiting, who is a doctor, and sent him straight back to jail,” he added. The interview came amid renewed international concern over Imran’s medical treatment. He was taken to a government hospital for an examination following a court order concerning his treatment.
Kasim claimed that his father had lost around 80 per cent of the vision in one eye and had recently been seen wearing an eye patch. The brothers also alleged that Imran spends more than 23 hours each day alone in a small cell. Right now, it is worse than ever, completely isolating him more than 23 hours a day in a cell,” Kasim said.
Speaking to former England captain and Sky Sports commentator Michael Atherton, the brothers described what they said was a worsening situation inside the prison where Imran Khan has been held for nearly three years. He has restricted access to books and basic comforts, while the cell does not have air conditioning despite the summer heat, according to them. The last time he was able to speak to our aunties and anyone else, he said the conditions have severely worsened recently. They claimed that their visas had been blocked on what they were told were technical grounds. Despite fears that they could be arrested if they travelled, the brothers said they were willing to take that risk to visit Imran. “In reality, it was an hour check-up by government officials who said, ‘Great, he’s OK’, and then said we will now send him to the independent hospital, Shifa. Recent reports said Pakistan’s Supreme Court had ordered an independent medical process and hospital care, while the government has rejected allegations that Khan is being denied adequate treatment.
