00:00Pakistan's political crisis has intensified as the sons of former Prime Minister Imran Khan
00:15expressed deep concern over the lack of information regarding their father's health and well-being.
00:22Qasim Khan, speaking on behalf of the family, said that more than three weeks have passed
00:27without any verifiable evidence that their father is still alive.
00:32The family fears that authorities may be concealing something irreversible about Khan's condition.
00:39Court-ordered prison visits, which are intended to allow regular family contact,
00:43remain blocked, fueling further uncertainty and anxiety.
00:47Imran Khan, 72, has been in prison since August 2023,
00:53following multiple convictions in cases widely criticised as politically motivated.
00:59His first conviction, known as the Toshikana case,
01:02involved accusations that he unlawfully sold gifts received while in office.
01:07Subsequent cases added additional prison sentences,
01:11including 10 years for allegedly leaking a diplomatic cable
01:14and 14 years in a separate graft case connected to the Al-Qadir Trust charity.
01:19Khan and his supporters insist that these cases are part of a deliberate effort
01:25to remove him from public life and prevent him from participating in future elections.
01:31The lack of reliable communication has heightened fears within the family.
01:36Qasim Khan explained that the absence of verifiable information about his father
01:41is a form of psychological torture,
01:43leaving the family unable to confirm whether he is safe, injured or even alive.
01:50He said that despite a judicial order for weekly visits,
01:53the family has not had any meaningful access to their father
01:56and attempts to allow his personal physician to examine him
02:00have been blocked for more than a year.
02:03The situation has left the family with no concrete information about his current condition.
02:08Qasim and his older brother, Suleiman Issa Khan,
02:11who live in London with their mother Jemima Goldsmith,
02:14have generally avoided Pakistani politics.
02:17But in recent weeks,
02:19they have spoken publicly about their growing concern for their father.
02:23The last time they saw Imran Khan in person was in November 2022,
02:27after he survived an assassination attempt.
02:30Qasim described the memory of that visit as haunting,
02:34saying that seeing their father injured and vulnerable
02:36was something that left a lasting impression on the family.
02:39Now, weeks of silence and a complete lack of proof of life
02:44have made that memory even more painful and weighty.
02:48The family has repeatedly sought legal and humanitarian avenues
02:52to ensure Khan's well-being.
02:54They have appealed to courts,
02:56requested visits from his personal doctor,
02:58and contacted national and international human rights organisations.
03:03Despite these efforts,
03:04the authorities have largely remained silent.
03:06Pakistani media has also been subject to strict restrictions,
03:11with channels reportedly instructed not to use Khan's name or image.
03:16Only a single grainy court photograph of the former prime minister
03:20has been circulated online in recent months,
03:23adding to the sense of isolation and fear.
03:26Qasim Khan described this isolation as deliberate.
03:29He believes that authorities fear the political influence of his father,
03:34who remains one of Pakistan's most popular leaders.
03:37They are scared of him.
03:39They know they cannot defeat him democratically, Qasim said.
03:43The family sees the lack of access and communication
03:45as a systematic effort to remove Khan from public view
03:49and weaken his political presence.
03:52He emphasised that the situation is not just a political dispute,
03:56but a human rights emergency that requires urgent international attention.
04:01The situation highlights the broader challenges
04:04facing Pakistan's democracy and political system.
04:07Khan's imprisonment has intensified political polarisation in the country,
04:12with supporters seeing him as a symbol of resistance
04:15against entrenched power structures.
04:18At the same time,
04:20critics argue that the legal process
04:21is moving according to established judicial procedures.
04:24The truth of the situation, however,
04:27remains obscured by a lack of clear,
04:30independently verified information about Khan's condition.
04:34As weeks turn into months,
04:36the family continues to call for transparency and accountability.
04:40They stress the urgent need to confirm Khan's health
04:43and allow him access to medical care.
04:45Qasim Khan described the appeals to international organisations and courts
04:49as a way to draw attention to what they view as a human rights crisis.
04:52The family continues to stand by him,
04:55while demanding that authorities fulfil their legal obligations
04:58and restore contact.
05:01For now,
05:01the uncertainty surrounding Imran Khan's condition
05:04continues to cast a shadow over Pakistan's political landscape.
05:09With court visits blocked,
05:10media coverage restricted,
05:12and rumours circulating about his treatment and potential transfers,
05:16questions remain about the well-being
05:18of one of the country's most prominent political figures.
05:22The situation serves as a stark reminder
05:24of the human dimension of political conflict
05:27and the urgency of ensuring
05:29that fundamental rights are protected,
05:31even amid deep political divisions.
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