'Repeatedly tortured': Imran Khan's sister alleges abuse in jail as ex-Pakistan PM returns to prison

Pakistan's jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan repeatedly told his sister that he was being tortured in prison, she said on Saturday, a day after he was taken to a state-run hospital for a brief medical examination and sent back to jail.Khan's sister, Uzma Khan, attended his examination at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad and said the former prime minister was physically fit but had repeatedly complained of torture.“Khan told me that he is being repeatedly tortured in prison”, she told the media.The interior and law ministries, along with jail authorities, have not responded to a Reuters request for comment on the allegation.Khan was taken to PIMS overnight on Friday after the Supreme Court had directed authorities to transfer him from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for a medical examination. He was declared medically fit and returned to prison within hours.PTI files contempt petitionKhan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Saturday filed a contempt petition against the government, accusing authorities of violating the Supreme Court's order by taking him to PIMS instead of the private hospital named by the court.The petition seeks action against senior government officials and asks that Khan be taken to Shifa International Hospital for treatment, PTI legal adviser Naeem Panjutha said."The petition seeks action against the ​prime minister, law minister, information minister" and other government officials, Panjutha said, adding that it also calls for Khan's treatment at the private hospital ordered by the court.The PTI also alleged that Khan was denied access to his personal physician, which it said amounted to another breach of the Supreme Court's directive.A three-judge Supreme Court bench had on Tuesday directed authorities to transfer Khan from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital within two days for a medical examination.The PTI interprets the order as requiring Khan to remain under medical supervision until at least mid-September.Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the decision to take Khan to PIMS instead of the court-named private hospital was made because of security concerns.Khan declared medically fit, sent back to jailKhan was examined by a team of doctors, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician, before being declared medically fit and sent back to Adiala jail in Rawalpindi."A team of qualified doctors, including an ophthalmologist, a cardiologist and a physician conducted a detailed examination of him and declared him medically fit," Tarar said.Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 and maintains that the cases against him are politically motivated. The government denies the allegation.His lawyers have previously said his health has deteriorated in prison and that he has suffered substantial loss of vision in his right eye. The government has maintained that medical reports have found no condition requiring immediate treatment.Supporters gather after brief hospital visitKhan's supporters gathered along roads in Islamabad overnight, throwing flowers at a vehicle believed to be carrying him to the hospital.The scenes were broadcast live on Pakistani television, in a notable departure from recent years when broadcasters often avoided mentioning Khan's name.PTI leaders have warned that the latest developments could increase pressure on the government and fuel fresh demonstrations."After what happened yesterday, the pressure (on authorities) will double," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said, adding that preparations for a protest march planned for September 27 had picked up.Khan's arrest and imprisonment have remained a major source of political tension in Pakistan. His arrest in 2023 triggered widespread protests, including attacks on military installations, and his supporters continue to demand his release.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.