Diaspora Pressure And Diplomacy Forced Jail Access, Says Imran Khan's Close Aide | Exclusive

Last Updated:December 02, 2025, 18:13 IST

Dr Salman Ahmed characterised the permission as a 'tactical retreat' by the Pakistani establishment

The approval is a direct response to the 'proof of life' demands publicly issued by Khan’s family. File pic

Dr Salman Ahmed, a close aide to jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, confirmed in an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18 on Tuesday that the military establishment has granted a one-time permission for the ex-PM’s younger sister, Dr Uzma Khanum, to meet him at Adiala Jail. This breakthrough comes after nearly four weeks of a complete access blackout, which had triggered widespread speculation and profound global concern regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder’s health and safety.

Dr Ahmed characterised the permission as a “tactical retreat" by the establishment, forced by intense, multi-layered pressure. While also thanking CNN-News18, he specifically cited the massive peaceful street protests by pro-Imran Khan supporters in Pakistan, significant international media focus, and powerful lobbying efforts by the Pakistani-American community in the United States. He noted that the US-based pressure, which included threats to withdraw votes in critical swing states due to the perceived lack of action from the Donald Trump administration regarding Khan’s freedom, had reached a critical level. This pressure was further amplified by a separate development: the meeting of the American Consul General of Peshawar with Khan’s Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, on the same day the jail visit was approved.

The approval is a direct response to the “proof of life" demands publicly issued by Khan’s family. The former premier’s son, Qasim Khan, and ex-wife, Jemima Khan, had amplified concerns over his prolonged isolation, branding the denial of basic contact rights—such as letters or phone calls—as a form of “psychological torture". As a doctor, Uzma Khanum is uniquely positioned to physically ascertain the condition of her brother, who has reportedly been held in solitary confinement in an 8×10-foot cell.

Dr Ahmed stressed that this is likely only a one-time concession, as the military establishment has a history of defying the standing jail manual, which grants the family the right to meet with him every Tuesday and Thursday. He lamented that the rule of law has been replaced by the “law of the jungle", with all High Court and Supreme Court orders regarding his detention conditions being defied.

Furthermore, Dr Ahmed connected the internal political volatility to the ongoing power dynamic between the judiciary and the establishment. He pointed out that while the establishment defies court orders, a crucial element of its consolidation of power—the public notification formalising Field Marshal Asim Munir’s new position as Chief of Defence Forces with implied “lifelong immunity"—has still not been issued, suggesting an internal power dynamic that remains in flux.

News world Diaspora Pressure And Diplomacy Forced Jail Access, Says Imran Khan's Close Aide | Exclusive

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