In the sweltering corridors of Rawalpindi’s Central Jail, Adiala, Imran Khan — once hailed as Pakistan’s most popular politician — sits in near-total isolation, not by judicial decree but by administrative fiat, his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), says.
On Thursday, Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, filed a writ petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking an end to what she described as the “illegal, inhumane confinement” of the former prime minister.
Acting through lawyers Barrister Salman Safdar and Salman Akram Raja, Aleema Khan named a wide range of respondents in the petition, including the superintendent and deputy superintendent of Adiala Jail, Punjab’s Inspector General of Prisons, the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau, the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency, the medical superintendent of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), and the Pakistani state.
Aleema Khanum has approached the Islamabad High Court against solitary confinement of Imran Khan. pic.twitter.com/JRLwaFIPNc
— Hasnaat Malik (@HasnaatMalik) May 14, 2026
The petition argues that no court has ordered the 74-year-old Khan to solitary confinement in either the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case or the Toshakhana-II matter — two cases that PTI has repeatedly described as politically motivated and unfair.
According to the petition, jail authorities have allegedly kept Khan confined for nearly 22 hours a day over the past six months without legal authorization.
The filing cites Section 73 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Rules 639 and 1019 of the Pakistan Prisons Rules, 1978, which state that solitary confinement can only be imposed through a judicial order and cannot exceed 14 consecutive days. The petition describes the prolonged isolation as “patently illegal, devoid of lawful authority, and amounting to inhuman and degrading treatment.”
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The petition also raises concerns over Khan’s medical condition. It states that he has lost 85 percent of his right eye vision due to central retinal vein occlusion, a diagnosed medical condition.
According to the filing, Khan was taken to PIMS on four separate occasions for treatment, but neither family members nor his legal team were informed about the precise nature of the treatment or the medical protocol being followed.
Despite repeated anti-VEGF injections, the petition says, there has been no significant improvement in his condition, and he has never been formally admitted to a hospital for a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.
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The filing further alleges that former Adiala Jail superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum was transferred because of what it describes as “deliberate indifference” and failure to ensure timely medical care for Khan.
Pakistan’s federal government — led by Khan’s political rivals, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which came to power following the controversial 2024 elections — has defended Khan’s treatment in custody.
Information Minister Ata Tarar previously said Khan had received the “best possible care” for his eyesight condition at Islamabad’s PIMS hospital.
During court-approved meetings with his legal counsel, Khan reportedly said that his wife, Bushra Bibi — who is also imprisoned at Adiala Jail — was being held in solitary confinement around the clock.
#PAKWatch🇵🇰: Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema, calls out the TORTURE of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi:
“Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are being held in solitary confinement… in violation of Pakistani law and international human rights standards.”
FREE THE KHANS. pic.twitter.com/Aq0QsuSFUe
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) May 6, 2026
The petition further alleges that the couple has been denied access to television, books and reading material, while lawyers have repeatedly faced restrictions in conducting legal consultations or executing powers of attorney. PTI chairman, secretary-general and other senior party officials have also allegedly been denied meetings with Khan.
The filing invokes Articles 9 and 14 of Pakistan’s Constitution, which guarantee the right to life, liberty and human dignity. It also cites the United Nations Nelson Mandela Rules, which prohibit indefinite or prolonged solitary confinement as incompatible with basic human rights standards.
The petition seeks a court declaration that both Khan’s solitary confinement and alleged incommunicado detention are illegal and unconstitutional.
PTI leaders and members of Khan’s family have repeatedly raised concerns over his detention conditions, warning of deteriorating health and what they describe as sustained psychological pressure.
Only weeks ago, Barrister Safdar urged the Islamabad High Court to grant Khan relief on humanitarian grounds, citing prolonged isolation and Khan’s worsening eye condition.
On the same day Aleema Khan filed the petition, PTI leaders were once again denied access to Adiala Jail, reinforcing what the party describes as a continuing pattern of restricted access to the jailed former premier.
Kiran Asim is a writer who covers the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. Her reports and analyses look at the geostrategic issues and contemporary developments and their economic and political implications. She also writes about society and education.
