PTI Protests in Islamabad, Rawalpindi Amid Rising Fears Over Imran Khan’s Health

Supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan are mobilising for large-scale demonstrations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi today, driven by escalating fears over his health and prolonged isolation in Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since August 2023 on multiple corruption charges that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party dismisses as politically motivated fabrications.

The protests, organised by PTI, are slated to commence outside the Islamabad High Court before proceeding to Adiala Jail, with opposition lawmakers from both houses of parliament leading the charge. PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser emphasised that the actions stem from the High Court's failure to enforce its directives allowing family visits, coupled with the jail administration's refusal to comply, leaving Khan's family—including his two sons—without any verifiable contact for over three weeks.

In a preemptive move to curb potential unrest, authorities in Islamabad have invoked a two-month ban on gatherings under Section 144, prohibiting assemblies of five or more persons, processions, rallies, or demonstrations across the district, including the heavily fortified Red Zone, until January 18, 2026. The order cites the imperative to safeguard public peace, tranquillity, and law and order against illegal activities that could escalate into threats. Similarly, Rawalpindi's district administration has imposed a three-day restriction from December 1 to 3, sealing roads to sensitive sites, major thoroughfares, and critical infrastructure amid intelligence reports of planned disruptions by groups targeting vulnerable locations.

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Khan's sons have voiced grave apprehensions, alleging that Pakistani authorities are concealing "something irreversible" regarding his condition, with no direct evidence of his well-being despite judicial mandates for weekly meetings. PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari revealed that no one has sighted Khan since November 4, and access requests for visits and medical evaluations have been repeatedly denied, fuelling speculation of a deliberate strategy to erase the former leader from public view. Local media reports suggest he may be transferred to a high-security facility to further complicate interactions.

The crisis has ignited widespread outrage on social media, propelling the hashtag #WHEREISIMRANKHAN to global trends on X, where users decry the opacity surrounding Khan's status. Television networks have been instructed to refrain from airing his name or images, restricting visibility to a solitary outdated court photograph. While Rawalpindi jail officials issued a statement on Wednesday insisting Khan remains in good health, fully attended medically, and has not been relocated—dismissing death rumours as baseless—these assurances have only intensified distrust among PTI ranks and the public, setting the stage for a volatile confrontation between demonstrators and security forces.

Also Read: Imran Khan's Sons Fear 'Irreversible Harm' in Jail—Authorities Blocking All Access​