Afghan Media Claims Imran Khan Killed In Jail; PTI Supporters Intensify Protest As Ex-PM’s Sisters Denied Meeting

New Delhi: A report published by Afghanistan-based news outlet Afghanistan Times on November 26 has triggered a political storm in Pakistan, after the portal claimed, citing “credible sources”, that former Pakistan Prime Minister and PTI chairperson Imran Khan has been killed inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.

The claim, which quickly spread across social media, has been denied by Pakistani authorities.

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.

Sisters Denied Meeting

Hours before the Afghan media report surfaced, tensions were already running high outside Adiala Jail. For the second time, jail authorities denied visiting rights to Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma and Noreen Niazi, sparking protests by PTI workers and opposition alliance members.

Khan’s sisters, along with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (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 they were denied entry, the protest intensified. The demonstrators raised slogans, alleged a media blackout and accused the government of “illegally isolating” the former Prime Minister.

In a bid to prevent Khan’s sisters and their supporters from moving towards the main gate of Adiala Jail, a heavy contingent of police was deployed to keep the crowd in check.

Pakistan Rejects Claim, Calls It Another Hoax

Pakistani government officials dismissed the Afghanistan Times report within hours, comparing it with similar false claims that circulated in May this year about Khan’s supposed killing. At the time, several fabricated social media posts alleging he had been shot or assaulted went viral before being debunked. An unverified press release, said to be from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also widely shared online, falsely claiming that Imran Khan had died.

However, Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had later issued a press release announcing Khan’s death “fake” and urged the public to “reject irresponsible behaviour”.

Despite the official rebuttals, the Afghanistan-based claim has deepened anxieties among Khan’s supporters, who accuse the government of isolating him and blocking routine family access.

‘Sinister Psy-Op’: PTI Raises Concern Over Ex-PM’s Health

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf termed the Afghanistan Times report a “sinister psy-op”, but simultaneously accused Pakistani authorities of placing Imran Khan in extreme isolation. Aleema Khan alleged that her brother was being held in a “death cell” usually reserved for terrorists.

PTI leaders, including Gohar Ali Khan, claimed that Khan was being deprived of even basic amenities inside the jail and that his health was deteriorating. They insisted that repeated attempts by family members to check on his well-being had been blocked without explanation and he was being treated like a terrorist.

Sisters File Complaint Over Police Action

In a letter addressed to Pakistan’s Punjab police chief Usman Anwar, Khan’s sisters alleged that police resorted to “orchestrated violence” during their peaceful demonstration late on Tuesday night. They claimed that lights were switched off, the media was kept at bay and that policemen dragged them away when they were trying to hold a peaceful protest outside the jail premises.

Khan has been locked inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since 2023, serving various convictions amid an ongoing series of trials.

Online Storm Continues, Afghan Report Remains Unverified

The Afghanistan Times article has continued to circulate across social media in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, with no independent verification from any official source. Islamabad maintains that Imran Khan is alive and has called the foreign media claim baseless, while PTI supporters continue to demand proof of his well-being and unrestricted family access.

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