Imran Khan’s Sons Allege Former Pakistan PM Faces Serious Threats While Behind Bars

The sons of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister and cricket great Imran Khan have voiced serious concerns about their father's safety in prison, alleging that attempts are being made to “kill him in there”. Sulaiman and Kasim Khan made the remarks during an 18-minute interview with former England captain and Sky Sports broadcaster Mike Atherton, in which they described what they said were deteriorating conditions surrounding their 73-year-old father. Kasim Khan alleged that Imran Khan is being kept in isolation for more than 23 hours a day and has been denied access to independent doctors. He also said the family has faced difficulties meeting him, including restrictions linked to their visas. The brothers said they feared the prolonged isolation and lack of proper medical access were putting their father's life at risk.

“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 during the interview. He claimed that the conditions had become significantly worse and that Imran had compared his situation with that of other political prisoners who had died in custody. Kasim said the last time his father was able to speak to family members, Imran had described the prison conditions as having “severely worsened”. According to his son, the former Pakistan prime minister is currently spending more than 23 hours a day alone inside his cell. The allegations have not been independently verified, and Pakistani authorities have not been quoted in the report responding to the specific claims made by the brothers.

The interview was broadcast by Sky Sports during the lunch break of the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s on Thursday. Its timing triggered a strong reaction from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which objected to the broadcast. According to well-placed sources, the PCB even considered threatening to withdraw Pakistan's players from the match in protest against the interview being aired. The PCB eventually lodged a formal complaint with Sky Sports, expressing its displeasure over the telecast. The controversy added an unexpected political dimension to the Test match, with the broadcaster's decision to air the interview becoming a subject of dispute between the cricket board and the television network.

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Atherton conducted the interview with Sulaiman and Kasim as concerns over Imran Khan's health and prison conditions continue to attract international attention. The former Pakistan captain has been imprisoned for nearly three years following a series of legal cases. His family has repeatedly raised concerns about his medical treatment and access to healthcare while in custody. The concerns raised by Imran's sons also come after a group of former international cricket captains called for proper medical care for the former Pakistan leader. Atherton was among 21 international cricket greats who recently signed a letter addressed to the Pakistan government seeking appropriate medical treatment for Imran Khan.

Imran Khan, who captained Pakistan to its only men's Cricket World Cup title in 1992, later became the country's prime minister. His political career and subsequent imprisonment have continued to attract considerable attention both inside Pakistan and internationally. His family has remained vocal about his legal situation and the conditions under which he is being held. The latest interview has brought renewed focus to those concerns, with his sons publicly alleging that their father's isolation and restricted access to medical care have reached an alarming level. Their statements also place additional pressure on authorities to address questions surrounding his health and treatment in prison.

The dispute over the Sky Sports broadcast has meanwhile highlighted the sensitivity surrounding Imran Khan's case. While the PCB objected to the interview being aired during an international Test, the programme ultimately went ahead, allowing the former prime minister's sons to make their concerns about his safety directly to an international audience. The allegations made by Sulaiman and Kasim remain claims by family members and have not been independently established. However, their comments, combined with renewed appeals from former cricket figures for medical care, are likely to keep attention focused on Imran Khan's health, prison conditions and continued detention.

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