The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has urged foreign media outlets to rely on documented records and verified information when reporting on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The ministry rejected allegations that Khan is being kept in solitary confinement, denied access to his family or deprived of adequate medical treatment at Adiala Jail.
The statement came after Khan’s sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, appeared on Sky News and again raised concerns about their father’s health and prison conditions.
Government Challenges Claims of Isolation
In a point-by-point response shared with relevant foreign media outlets, the ministry said reports about Khan’s detention should distinguish between verified custodial and medical records and politically disputed allegations.
The government said Khan is serving sentences handed down by courts and is not being held under executive detention.
According to the ministry, his imprisonment is governed by the Pakistan Prison Rules, judicial directions and security arrangements applicable to a high-profile prisoner.
It rejected claims of punitive solitary confinement and said Khan has access to visits, telephone calls, reading material and television, subject to applicable prison rules and security requirements.
The ministry said Khan’s accommodation consists of an exclusive seven-cell compound with sleeping, sanitation and exercise facilities.
It also said he is permitted home-cooked food and has access to dietary facilities, including meat, chicken, fruit, milk, nuts, juices and bottled water.
Government Cites Hundreds of Prison Visits
The ministry also disputed claims that Khan has been completely cut off from his family.
According to prison records cited by the government, approximately 198 interview sessions involving more than 900 visitor entries have taken place since his imprisonment.
The visitors reportedly included Khan’s sisters, other family members, lawyers, doctors, political representatives and other approved individuals.
The government said Khan has also been allowed weekly meetings with his wife, with the latest meeting recorded on August 4.
It further cited records of telephone, landline and WhatsApp communications with family members in Pakistan and abroad.
The ministry said one of the recorded communications was a telephone conversation with one of Khan’s sons on March 21.
It also said Khan met his sisters on August 18, 19 and 25.
Ministry Rejects Medical Neglect Allegations
The government strongly rejected allegations that Khan has been denied appropriate medical care.
According to the ministry, Khan has undergone approximately 30 medical examinations by specialist teams and medical boards since his imprisonment.
These examinations reportedly involved doctors and institutions including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Shifa International, Shaukat Khanum and Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, along with the prison’s own medical staff.
The ministry said Khan was diagnosed with a retinal condition and subsequently received specialist treatment.
His treatment reportedly included five intravitreal anti-VEGF injections, retinal imaging, medication and follow-up examinations.
The government also referred to specialist assessments conducted in July and on August 21, saying they described Khan as oriented and stable without acute or unmanaged deterioration.
It further cited comments attributed to Khan’s sister, Dr Uzma Niazi, who reportedly described him as “100% fit”. The ministry said she referred to a blood pressure reading of 120/80 and said his eye condition had almost completely recovered.
The government argued that these statements did not support allegations of deliberate or systematic medical neglect.
Supreme Court Directions and Medical Examination
The ministry maintained that the Supreme Court’s directions concerning Khan’s medical examination had been implemented.
It said his sister was present during the examination and rejected claims that authorities had ignored judicial instructions regarding his medical treatment.
The government also referred to the Supreme Court’s direction that family members, political party representatives and lawyers should not publicly disclose or share Khan’s health condition or medical reports while proceedings remain pending.
The ministry said medical information should therefore be assessed through clinical records and judicial directions rather than political statements.
It added that Khan’s medical treatment has continued and that access to specialist care has not been discontinued.
Government Responds to Sons’ Concerns
Khan’s sons have repeatedly expressed concern about their father’s health and claimed they have been unable to see him for an extended period.
The ministry said both Sulaiman and Kasim hold valid National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs).
According to the government, a valid NICOP is a recognised travel document that allows them to enter Pakistan.
However, it stressed that the ability to travel to Pakistan is separate from the issue of visiting a prisoner.
Any prison visit, the ministry said, remains subject to prison regulations, judicial orders and security procedures.
The government accused critics of presenting the issue in a political manner and urged foreign media organizations to consider the official record before publishing reports about Khan’s detention.
Sons Continue to Raise Health Concerns
The government’s response follows renewed concerns from Khan’s sons during a Sky News interview.
They have previously told international media that they fear for their father’s health and have raised questions about his access to family members, lawyers and doctors.
Khan has remained imprisoned since August 2023 and is serving a sentence in connection with the £190 million corruption case. He also faces other legal proceedings, including cases related to the May 9, 2023 protests.
The contrasting accounts from Khan’s family and the government have intensified an ongoing debate over his prison conditions and medical care.
The information ministry has now called on international media to base future coverage on official custodial records, medical documentation and court directions, rather than what it described as unverified political allegations.
The dispute is likely to remain under scrutiny as Khan’s family, political supporters and government authorities continue to present sharply different accounts of his detention and health.
