Tensions escalated sharply outside Adiala Jail on Wednesday after thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters assembled amid wild speculation about the condition and whereabouts of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated for more than two years in a corruption case.

What began as online chatter quickly snowballed into full-blown panic when unverified claims of Khan’s death began circulating on social media, especially from handles based in Balochistan and Afghanistan, accusing Pakistan’s military leadership — including Army Chief General Asim Munir and the ISI — of foul play.

Khan’s Sisters Lead Protest After Alleged Police Assault

Fueling the unrest, Khan’s sisters — Noreen Niazi, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan — arrived outside the prison gates, demanding clarity on why they had been denied a meeting with their brother for nearly a month.

In a letter addressed to Punjab Police Chief Usman Anwar, Noreen Niazi alleged that she and other family members were “brutally assaulted” during a peaceful visit last week.

“Streetlights were suddenly turned off, and police launched an unprovoked attack. At 71, I was dragged by my hair across the road and injured,” Niazi wrote.

The letter intensified public anger, prompting PTI workers across Rawalpindi and Islamabad to mobilise toward the jail.

PTI Supporters Stage Overnight Sit-In

According to reports in Dawn, PTI workers held an hours-long sit-in past midnight, demanding proof that Imran Khan was alive and safe. The demonstration was live-streamed on social media and dispersed only after senior religious leader Allama Raja Nasir urged protesters to avoid confrontation.

Aleema Khan, speaking during the live stream, voiced deep concern:

“Who knows, maybe Imran has been shifted. Why are they stopping us from meeting him?”
Government Accused of Imposing Silent Ban

Sources suggest that the Shehbaz Sharif government has quietly restricted all meetings with the former PM, further deepening fears among his supporters.

PTI leaders have repeated allegations that Khan is being kept in extreme isolation, confined to what they describe as a “death cell” — a high-security, solitary confinement unit inside Adiala Jail.

Crisis Deepens as Nation Waits for Clarity

With no official statement from the Pakistan government or the military addressing Khan’s condition, the speculation continues to spiral — turning Adiala Jail into the epicentre of a growing political storm.