The sons of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister and cricket great Imran Khan have expressed grave concerns over their father’s safety in prison, alleging that “blatant” attempts are being made to kill him and claiming his conditions have worsened significantly.
Sulaiman and Kasim Khan raised the concerns during an 18-minute interview with Sky Sports conducted by former England captain Mike Atherton, who is among 21 international cricket greats to have recently written to the Pakistan government demanding proper medical care for Imran.
Sons Raise Alarm Over Prison Conditions
Kasim said the situation inside the prison had become worse than ever, with his father allegedly being kept isolated for more than 23 hours a day.
“It’s very, very clear what they’re doing, which is they’re just blatantly trying to kill him in there. They just want to keep him in there as long as possible and hopefully just silence him,” Kasim said.
He added that Imran had told family members that conditions had “severely worsened” recently and that the former Pakistan captain had compared his situation with that of other political prisoners who had died in custody.
Imran, 73, has been held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since 2023 after being convicted of corruption charges by Pakistan’s courts.
Medical Check-Up Fuels Fresh Concerns
Imran recently underwent a medical examination following an order from Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
He was taken to Shifa Hospital in Islamabad before being shifted back to prison within hours.
His sons, however, said their father had not been examined by independent doctors and questioned why an impartial medical assessment had not been permitted.
Sulaiman said the family had been “cautiously optimistic” after the court ordered the medical check-up, but alleged their concerns were confirmed when Imran was taken to a government medical facility for only a few hours before being returned to jail.
“He had an eye patch on for the eye situation, seemed visibly stressed,” Sulaiman said, adding that the condition was difficult for the family to imagine given Imran’s usually calm demeanour.
The brothers said they remained concerned about his health and treatment inside prison.
PCB Objects To Sky Sports Interview
The interview was aired during the lunch break of the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s on Thursday.
The broadcast reportedly prompted a protest from the Pakistan Cricket Board, which expressed its displeasure to Sky Sports.
According to well-placed sources, the PCB also threatened to withdraw its players from the Test before eventually filing a complaint with the broadcaster over the telecast.
Imran remains one of Pakistan’s most celebrated sporting figures. As captain, he led the country to its only ODI World Cup triumph in 1992 before entering politics and eventually becoming prime minister.
Sons Have Not Seen Father Since 2022
Sulaiman and Kasim said they have not seen their father in person since 2022, when Imran survived an assassination attempt.
Their last telephone conversation with him took place in March this year, with the brothers describing him as stoic despite the difficult circumstances.
The two also reiterated that their attempts to visit him have been thwarted by visa issues.
“We tried to visit him. But the visas we applied for were blocked for technical reasons,” Kasim said.
Sulaiman acknowledged that travelling to Pakistan could carry a risk of arrest but said their priority was simply to meet their father.
“But ultimately, we just want to see him at this point…not to make any sort of noise and just minimal publicity,” he said.
The brothers’ comments have renewed concerns over Imran’s treatment in custody and added to calls from former international cricketers for him to receive appropriate and independent medical care.
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