Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again become the centre of intense social media speculation after unverified rumours of his death went viral online. Khan, who has been in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail since January 2025, was the subject of sensational claims shared by an X handle known as Afghan Times. The account alleged, without evidence, that Imran Khan had been murdered in custody and that his body had been moved out of jail. No official agency or government department has confirmed these claims, yet the rumour spread rapidly, creating panic among his supporters and triggering widespread misinformation across platforms.
The claims circulated shortly after reports indicated that Imran Khan was being held in solitary confinement and that his family had been denied weekly visitation rights. His three sisters – Noreen, Aleema and Uzma – staged a protest outside the prison last week, during which they were allegedly manhandled by the police while demanding to meet him. They accused authorities of subjecting Khan to harsh treatment inside the jail. These allegations, combined with the secrecy around his condition, added fuel to the speculation that something may have gone wrong inside the prison.
On social media, users shared unverified screenshots and even a purported video of Khan on a stretcher, though these clips appear to be doctored or unrelated. Several accounts posted images of crowds claiming they were PTI supporters storming Adiala jail after hearing the rumours. Some Indian news outlets also referenced Afghan Times’ post but issued disclaimers stating the claim could not be independently verified.
Imran Khan, 72, has repeatedly complained of harassment since his imprisonment in 2023 following convictions in corruption-related cases. Earlier this year, he warned his party that if anything happened to him, the responsibility would lie with Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. He accused jail officials of acting under military orders, claims strongly denied by authorities. These past allegations resurfaced online as supporters feared that his warnings may have materialized.
The situation escalated further when PTI claimed that police dragged Noreen, one of Khan’s sisters, by her hair during their protest and physically harassed the others as well. The sisters insisted that Khan is being kept in isolation in inhumane conditions and demanded his immediate release. With no official statement yet addressing Wednesday’s viral rumours, confusion and anxiety continue to dominate political and digital spaces in Pakistan.
For now, authorities remain silent on the latest claims, and the unrest reflects the deep mistrust between Khan’s supporters and Pakistan’s security establishment. The absence of verified information has allowed speculation to flourish, making Imran Khan’s condition a lightning rod for political tension across the country.
