Imran Khan’s Sons Decry ‘Death Cell’ Detention, Visa Delays to Visit Jailed Father

The sons of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan have accused authorities of subjecting their father to “psychological torture,” claiming he is being held in what they describe as a “death cell” as their efforts to visit him in prison continue to be stalled by visa delays.

Speaking in December, the brothers said they had not spoken to their father for months and feared they might never see him again. However, they were allowed a brief 20-minute phone conversation over the weekend, according to family spokesperson Mr Bukhari. Mr Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, wrote on X that her brother was “extremely happy” to hear his sons’ voices after a long period without contact.

Mr Bukhari criticised the repeated delays in granting visas for the sons to travel to Pakistan, calling the process “inhumane.” He said authorities had not formally rejected the applications but continued to cite unspecified “technical issues,” despite what he described as a straightforward online process. “Denying them a visa to see their father, who’s been in prison for years and whom they haven’t seen in a long time, is just inhumane,” he said.

While Mr Khan remains behind bars, Mr Bukhari warned that Pakistan itself was “deteriorating,” accusing the state of focusing solely on isolating the former leader from public life. “The focus is just on how do we keep Imran Khan caged away, so no one can see him, no one can hear him, and no one can speak to him,” he said, adding that the situation was “ripping the country apart.”

Mr Khan has been in custody since his arrest in August 2023, when he received a three-year sentence for illegally selling state gifts. He was later handed a 14-year sentence in a corruption case in January and, in December, a further 17-year sentence for buying state gifts at heavily discounted prices. He has consistently maintained that the cases against him are politically motivated, following his removal from office in a 2022 parliamentary vote.

Asked whether Mr Khan still believed he would be freed, Mr Bukhari said the former leader remained confident not only of his release but also of returning to national leadership. “He’s always succeeded in whatever he put his vision towards,” he said. “He’s always done it against all odds, and I don’t see how this is going to be any different.”

Sky News said it has contacted the Pakistani government for comment.

Before entering politics, Imran Khan was internationally renowned as a क्रिकेट star, leading Pakistan to victory at the Cricket World Cup.