Imran Khan 'held in solitary confinement and denied access to a doctor', advisor says

Imran Khan could be effectively removed from politics because of his detention, ITV News Security Editor Rohit Kachroo reports

Imran Khan "is being held in solitary confinement and has not been given access to a doctor", an advisor to the former prime minister of Pakistan has told ITV News.

Zulfi Bukhari, who served as a minister in Khan's government, claimed the former leader was being kept in solitary confinement without explanation and did "not know if it's day or night."

Bukhari also said Khan was only being given small amounts of food at irregular hours.

Over the weekend, Khan was handed a three-year prison sentence on several corruption charges and detained.

The prison sentence could see Khan barred from politics as the law says people with a criminal conviction cannot hold or run for public office.

His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, condemned the ruling and said it will challenge the decision in a superior court.Pakistan saw a wave of protests in the wake of his arrest but the government has effectively banned all mention of Khan or PTI on national news programmes.

Since he was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022, Khan has been slapped with more than 150 legal cases, including several on charges of corruption, terrorism and inciting people to violence over deadly protests in May that saw his followers attack government and military property across the country.

Khan, cricket star-turned-politician, remains the leading opposition in the country and has demanded a general election be called in the crisis-riddled country.

He is the seventh former prime minister to be arrested in Pakistan.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was arrested and hanged in 1979.

The current prime minister’s brother, Nawaz Sharif, who also served as prime minister, was arrested several times on corruption allegations.

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