Imran Khan’s two sons have painted a harrowing picture from behind bars in Pakistan, accusing the country’s most powerful military figure of orchestrating a systematic campaign of isolation and suffering against their father. Kasim and Sulaiman Khan have revealed that their father has been denied meaningful contact for over six months, lives in a cramped solitary confinement cell barely six by eight feet, and suffers a neglected eye condition threatening his vision. Most damning are their claims that the harsh treatment is not merely administrative but a calculated personal vendetta led by Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Asim Munir. With the Supreme Court set to rule this week on whether the government violated its own court order regarding mandatory medical care, the case has drawn international scrutiny and intensified calls for his release.
The Accusations: Six Months Without a Word
For the past six months, Kasim Khan, thirty-seven, and Sulaiman Khan, thirty-nine, have lived in a state of enforced silence within the walls of Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi. Their father, the former Prime Minister who seized power in 2018 on a platform promising transparency and an end to corruption, has been held under strict solitary confinement for more than half a decade following his arrest in 2023 on charges ranging from corruption to sedition. According to the brothers, who spoke recently to The Guardian from London, the restriction on communication extends far beyond the simple denial of visitor rights. They report that neither son has been permitted to speak to their father in over six months, nor has either been allowed to travel from the United Kingdom to Pakistan—a move that would have facilitated any attempt at humanitarian intervention or public advocacy.
“The reality is that he is locked in a tiny 6x8ft cell without human contact,” Sulaiman stated unequivocally. “He hasn’t been allowed new books for months and he’s not been allowed to see or speak to his family or a neutral doctor.” The family’s description paints a portrait of a man stripped of dignity and autonomy, left to exist in a space designed for punishment rather than rehabilitation. What compounds the anguish is the failure to address his deteriorating health, compounded by the broader environment of authority that surrounds him.
Medical Neglect and the Struggle for Care
Central to the brothers’ grievances is the chronic neglect of their father’s failing eyesight, a condition that has left him nearly blind in one eye. In late August, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of Imran Khan to a private hospital to treat a blood clot in his retinal vein, an injury they argue has caused approximately eighty‑five percent loss of vision. Instead of securing the necessary care, the family reports that Khan was instead whisked to a government facility, where he received only brief injections before being returned to prison—ruled fit to continue his sentence but with no independent medical assessment. This discrepancy has enraged their parents and sparked a legal battle that reached the highest courts in the nation.
The case itself, filed in September, challenges the Pakistani government for contempt of court, alleging that officials denied their father private hospital treatment despite explicit judicial mandates. Beyond the eye issue, the brothers highlight the stark realities of living in solitary confinement. The cell measures merely six feet by eight feet, a space so confined that it offers little room for movement or comfort. Moreover, the family insists that they have not been permitted access to a neutral physician capable of providing an unbiased evaluation of their father’s condition. The absence of such oversight, they argue, amounts to deliberate psychological harm—what international human rights experts describe as a form of mental and physical torture.
Personal Grudges and the Shadow of the Military
At the heart of the brothers’ accusation lies a pointed finger on Asim Munir, the Pakistan Armed Forces Chief of Staff and a figure whose alignment with the ousted prime minister has been described as the catalyst for much of Imran Khan’s current predicament. Munir, who rose through the ranks and became the principal enforcer of government policy, is accused of personally orchestrating the harsh treatment of his former patron. Kasim Khan specifically points to the historical animosity between the two men, noting that when Khan served as Prime Minister, he deliberately demoted Munir to limit his influence. That arrangement collapsed in 2022 when Khan and his allies expelled Munir from the military hierarchy, a move that sent ripples throughout the nation’s political landscape.
Now, years later, Sulaiman Khan maintains that the trajectory has simply inverted. “It’s very clear this is being driven by personal grudge and that’s one of the reasons he’s being treated so harshly, on the orders of Asim Munir,” the younger brother declared. The connection between the former prime minister’s fall from power and his current incarceration appears undeniable, according to the family’s analysis of recent events. His sons further caution that the treatment escalates whenever the regime feels pressure mounting, suggesting that the restrictions on Khan are not merely punitive but strategic—designed to fracture familial bonds and isolate the father completely.
International bodies have sounded alarm bells early on. The United Nations has already weighed in, with its special rapporteur on torture warning that the combination of solitary confinement and inadequate medical care could constitute psychological torture under international law. The UN’s findings have bolstered the claimants’ argument that the state is violating fundamental human rights, adding weight to a case that has moved from domestic petitions to a matter of global concern.
Political Context and the Road to Release
The plight of the Khan family does not exist in a vacuum. Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf, the political party founded by Imran Khan in 1996, has announced plans for a massive nationwide march demanding his immediate release. Speaking from London, Kasim Khan warned that his father’s health is “deeply, deeply concerned” and has deteriorated to a point where survival hangs by a thread. He also highlighted that the family has faced bureaucratic obstacles, with visa applications submitted over nine months ago still awaiting permission to enter the country—a delay that underscores the indifference of the authorities towards those seeking to support their leader.
Despite the grim circumstances, the brothers stress their desire to remain neutral in matters of party politics. “We definitely don’t want to get involved in politics in Pakistan in the long term,” Sulaiman insisted. “Our father always said that one of the biggest problems with Pakistani politics is this dynastic nepotism; that power’s been held by just two families for the last 40 years. It’s a sign of what’s wrong with the political system in Pakistan.” Their stance reflects a broader frustration among supporters who view the current administration—and indeed the entire political class—as entrenched in practices that marginalize democratic principles.
Meanwhile, Zulfiqar Bukhari, one of Khan’s closest aides, has hinted that any release would require significant concessions. “There is only one deal Khan would ever accept: the restoration of democracy, the rule of law and the people’s mandate in Pakistan,” he stated. The younger son of Imran Khan, though not directly involved in the legal proceedings, stands in firm solidarity with his father’s demands. “We are prepared to work with anyone who is genuinely willing to dismantle the structures that have enabled this,” he added. The message is clear: unless there is a decisive shift in leadership and policy, the struggle continues.
Why it Matters
This saga transcends the personal tragedy of a family imprisoned by the state; it serves as a potent reminder of how authoritarian leanings can reshape a nation’s political fabric. The case of Imran Khan’s sons exposes the dangerous overlap between legal obligation and executive abuse, illustrating that the state’s power can be wielded not just to govern, but to punish and to silence dissent. The solitary confinement of a former head of government—especially one in possession of extensive international goodwill—is a stark symbol of how modern autocratic practices can erode the very foundations of justice and human dignity.
Furthermore, the international response to Mukri’s imprisonment highlights the growing awareness among global audiences of the importance of humane detention practices and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. The involvement of the United Nations and the testimony of the Khan brothers underscore a pressing need for accountability when states violate the Geneva Conventions and other binding international instruments. As the Supreme Court prepares to render its judgment, the outcome will not only determine the fate of three individuals but also signal a test of whether Pakistan’s judiciary remains an impartial guardian—or becomes another instrument of political retribution. The implications ripple outward, affecting public trust, diplomatic relations, and the broader conversation about freedom and reform across South and Central Asia.
