Pakistan Faces Mounting Global Scrutiny Over Imran Khan's 'Inhumane' Detention, Solitary Confinement

Last Updated:December 14, 2025, 09:08 IST

The escalating global pressure follows claims made by Imran Khan's close aide and CM of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that he and his wife are being subjected to harsh conditions in jail

There have been domestic allegations of mistreatment, underscoring grave warnings from international human rights bodies that Imran Khan's solitary confinement may constitute psychological torture. (Image: PTI/File)

Pakistan is facing intense international scrutiny over the solitary confinement and detention conditions of former prime minister Imran Khan.

There have been domestic allegations of mistreatment, underscoring grave warnings from international human rights bodies that Imran Khan’s solitary confinement may constitute psychological torture, with a UN expert calling for an immediate end to his isolation.

The escalating global pressure follows claims made by a close aide of Khan and the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that the PTI leader and his wife are being subjected to harsh conditions in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. His former wife, Jemima Khan, has also addressed a letter to Elon Musk alleging that Pakistan is suppressing information about his plight by throttling her posts on X, limiting her ability to highlight his situation as a political prisoner to her large audience.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Muhammad Sohaib Afridi has alleged that Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, “are being subjected to mistreatment in jail". Afridi’s comments came after he was denied permission to meet Khan for the 10th time by the Adiala jail administration.

While prime minister’s adviser on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah said Afridi was denied a meeting based on “intelligence reports", alleging that Khan planned to “orchestrate another event similar to the November 26 protests in Islamabad", the denial of access has fuelled domestic criticism regarding transparency.

Khan’s close aide Dr Salman Ahmed has also been speaking out, amid claims that army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is performing illegal actions on Khan.

WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SAYING?

This domestic alarm coincides with formal intervention by international bodies, raising serious questions about Pakistan’s adherence to human rights standards and democratic principles.

human rights organisations and legal advocacy groups have formally written to Islamabad, expressing concern over Khan’s solitary confinement and restricted legal access. Diplomatic backchannels indicate that friendly capitals have “quietly raised" the issue, expressing concerns that continued isolation could negatively impact Pakistan’s human rights record at multilateral forums.

Global watchdogs have warned Pakistan that “isolating a former elected prime minister carries serious democratic and psychological implications". The most forceful condemnation came from the United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, who called on the Pakistan government to take “immediate and effective action" to address reports of “inhumane and undignified detention conditions".

Edwards stressed that “prolonged or indefinite solitary confinement is prohibited under international human rights law". When such isolation extends longer than 15 days, it “constitutes a form of psychological torture," as per a press release issued by the UN Human Rights body.

“Khan’s solitary confinement should be lifted without delay," Edwards said, warning that extended isolation can bring about “very harmful consequences for his physical and mental health".

Since his transfer to Adiala Jail on September 26, 2023, Khan has reportedly been confined for 23 hours a day in his cell with highly restricted access to the outside world. According to information received by the special rapporteur, he is not permitted outdoor activity or interaction with other detainees and is unable to join communal prayers, while visits from family and lawyers are “frequently interrupted or ended prematurely". Also, at the age of 73, he has significant health issues, including a serious spinal injury and gunshot wounds from a 2022 assassination attempt, and has reportedly been denied adequate medical attention.

FORMER WIFE JEMIMA KHAN SPEAKS OUT

Imran Khan’s former wife, Jemima Khan, directly appealed to X owner Elon Musk, alleging that Pakistani authorities are suppressing information about his plight.

In her letter, Jemima said X was their “only independent platform to highlight this injustice" given that Khan’s name is “banned from every Pakistani TV and radio station". She labelled her ex-husband a “democratically elected prime minister, removed in 2022 and now held 22 months in brutal solitary confinement as a political prisoner".

She alleged that her X account is being subjected to what her own AI, Grok, calls “secret throttling" – the algorithm deliberately hides her posts – because Pakistani authorities have made “criticism from Imran Khan’s immediate circle one of their top online enforcement priorities, and X is quietly complying". She presented damning evidence from Grok showing her impressions dropped from an average of 400 to 900 million per month to only 28.6 million total in the entire 2025 – a “97% crash to <3% of expected reach".

She asked Musk to “honour the free-speech promises" by removing the secret throttling. Her letter was shared by prominent broadcaster Piers Morgan, who condemned the Pakistani authorities over Imran Khan’s situation. 

“What’s happening to Imran Khan is outrageous. I hope @elonmusk can do something to stop this obvious suppression of support for him, and that the Pakistan authorities afford Imran his basic human rights," Morgan wrote on X.

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