Imran Khan alleges wife’s ‘inhumane’ treatment in jail to ‘blackmail’ him in rare call with son

Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has raised fresh concerns over his wife’s treatment in prison, using a rare Eid phone call with his son to allege mistreatment and political pressure.

Khan spoke to his sons for about 25–30 minutes from Adiala Jail during Eid, marking a rare direct interaction with family while in custody. During the call, he conveyed a strong message criticising authorities and the judiciary, which was later shared publicly through his son, reported the Independent.

This was one of Khan’s first public remarks in weeks, coming amid ongoing concerns about his health and prison conditions.

Allegations over wife’s treatment

At the centre of his message was his wife, Bushra Bibi, who is also imprisoned. Khan alleged she is being subjected to harsh and isolating conditions.

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"How can they allow this inhumane treatment of Bushra Bibi, simply to blackmail me?" he said.

He further accused Pakistan’s judiciary of enabling authorities to target his family to pressure him politically. "The judges in this country should be ashamed of themselves... they have sold their souls for personal gain," Khan said.

According to his claims, Bushra Bibi is being kept in near-total isolation, with limited and often denied access even to him.

Legal troubles and political fallout

Khan and his wife have been convicted in multiple corruption cases and are serving lengthy prison sentences. Both have consistently denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.

Since his ouster from power in 2022, Khan has repeatedly accused Pakistan’s powerful establishment of orchestrating legal cases to sideline him from politics. His imprisonment in 2023 triggered widespread protests and deepened political divisions in the country.

Khan’s party has long alleged that he is being denied proper medical care and regular access to family and lawyers. Authorities, however, have maintained that he is being treated according to the law.