A United Nations expert has urged Pakistan to take immediate action over reports of “inhumane and undignified” detention conditions faced by former prime minister Imran Khan, warning that prolonged solitary confinement amounts to psychological torture.
UN Special Rapporteur on torture Alice Jill Edwards said that solitary confinement extending beyond 15 days violates international human rights law. “I call on Pakistani authorities to ensure that Khan’s conditions of detention fully comply with international norms and standards,” she said.
Khan, 73, has been lodged in Adiala Jail since August 2023. Edwards said his solitary confinement should be lifted without delay, citing serious risks to his physical and mental health. According to information received, Khan is denied outdoor activity, interaction with other detainees and access to communal prayers, while court-authorised visits are frequently curtailed.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohaib Afridi also alleged mistreatment of Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, after he was denied permission to meet the jailed PTI founder for the tenth time.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, stated on Thursday that Afridi was denied a meeting with Khan "based on intelligence reports", The News International reported on Friday.
“Imran Khan wanted to orchestrate another event similar to the November 26 protests in Islamabad on the same date this year, and that Afridi’s appointment as chief minister was part of this plan -- a plot he claimed has been foiled,” the report quoted him as saying. Imran Khan has a history of significant health issues, including a serious spinal injury from a 2013 accident and gunshot wounds from a 2022 assassination attempt, the UN release said. The Special Rapporteur has raised Imran Khan’s situation with the Government of Pakistan and will continue to follow developments, it added.