Fresh claims about the death of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan have once again sparked concern and confusion in Pakistan. Pakistani journalist Wajahat Saeed Khan has claimed that three senior military sources believe Khan may have died in prison. However, the claim has not been independently confirmed, and the journalist himself said that his sources had not personally seen Khan.
BIG: Senior Pakistani Journalist Wajahat S Khan claims that his sources who are three Senior Officers in Pakistani Army have said that they fear Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan is dead inside prison and hence Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is hiding him from the entire country. pic.twitter.com/IDjeqFEh1s
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 12, 2026
Wajahat, an Emmy-nominated journalist based in the US, made the claim in a YouTube video posted on 10th August. He said the information came from senior officers based at the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
According to him, at least three officers separately expressed the view that Imran Khan was “no longer with us”. At the same time, Wajahat admitted that none of his sources had personally seen Khan. He repeatedly stressed that the information had not been confirmed and said he hoped the claim was not true.
The claim has gained attention at a time when Khan’s family, lawyers, party leaders and doctors have complained about difficulties in meeting him. His sisters and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have repeatedly sought access to the former prime minister, while the party has demanded an independent medical assessment of his health.
Khan has been in prison since 5th August, 2023 and is currently serving a 14-year sentence in the £190-million Al-Qadir Trust corruption case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, was sentenced to seven years in the same case in January 2025. Both have challenged their convictions. Khan also faces pending cases linked to the 9th May, 2023 protests, during which PTI supporters attacked military installations across Pakistan.
Death claim fuels fresh tension
The uncertainty over Khan’s condition has added to tensions between PTI and Pakistan’s military establishment. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and PTI leader Sohail Afridi has claimed that more than two million people are ready to take to the streets.
Afridi said PTI was not making an unconstitutional demand and maintained that meetings with Khan would not be used to pass political messages. He also warned of growing anger among young Pakistanis. PTI has announced a long march towards Islamabad on September 27 and has threatened earlier protests if Khan’s family and doctors continue to be denied access to him.
With access to Khan still a major issue, the latest claim has once again raised the question: Is Imran Khan dead? For now, there is no confirmation in the material available to establish that he has died.
Similar rumours surfaced last year
This is not the first time rumours of Imran Khan’s death have surfaced. Similar claims spread in November last year after his family and party colleagues struggled to meet him and confirm that he was safe.
The rumours were put to rest on 2nd December, when Khan’s sister Uzma Khanum met him at Adiala Jail. She said that he was physically well, although he was being kept in isolation.
Another major death rumour surfaced in November when Afghanistan Times reported that Khan had been killed inside Adiala Jail. The report claimed that the 72-year-old former prime minister had died after suffering torture in prison and that his body had been moved outside the jail. Pakistani authorities denied the claim and said Khan was alive.
A fake ‘government press note’ also claimed Khan’s death
In May 2025, social media was flooded with an image presented as a press release from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It claimed that the government had confirmed Khan’s death in judicial custody.
The document, however, contained several signs that raised questions about its authenticity. It did not carry a proper date, despite being marked “No 427/2025”, and contained formatting, punctuation and language mistakes. There was also no confirmation from major Pakistani or international news organisations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Prime Minister’s Office.
The document was therefore found to be a doctored image rather than a genuine government statement. It came amid other unverified claims about Khan’s treatment in prison, adding to concerns over misinformation surrounding his health and safety.
Claims of assault in jail also turned out to be false
Death rumours were not the only claims surrounding Imran Khan’s time in jail. In May 2025, a purported medical report circulated on social media claiming that Khan had been sexually assaulted in prison.
The document, said to be from Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH), described serious injuries and mentioned tests for HIV, hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections. It also claimed that Khan’s release depended on clearance from Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff.
However, the document contained a major inconsistency: it was dated 3rd May, 2025, but had already started circulating online on 2nd May. More importantly, official information indicated that Khan’s medical evaluation had been carried out by doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, not PEMH.
These discrepancies strongly indicated that the medical report was fake. Khan’s legal team did not issue a public statement confirming sexual assault, and no credible reporting or official statement supported the claim.
The repeated rumours about Imran Khan’s death, health and treatment in jail have continued to spread whenever his family and supporters face difficulties accessing him. The latest claim by Wajahat Saeed Khan has therefore revived an old question around the jailed former prime minister, but until there is confirmation from credible official or independent sources, the claim that Imran Khan has died remains unverified.
