Death rumours: Imran Khan supporters plan massive protest in Rawalpindi as sons continue to seek proof of life

The Pakistan government has banned gatherings and imposed Section 144 in Rawalpindi amid a protest planned by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI), demanding that relatives and supporters of the former prime minister be given access to him.

This comes amid rumours about Khan's death, giving rise to fears of unrest in the country.

According to NDTV, an order signed by the office of the deputy commissioner, Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, states that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2024, will be in effect for three days, from 1 December to 3 December.

The law prohibits activities such as all kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, processions, demonstrations, jalsas, dharnas, protests, and similar gatherings of five or more people.

Carrying of weapons, spikes, laden batons, gulel (sling shots), ball bearings, petrol bombs, improvised explosives or any other instrument that could potentially be used for violence, along with display of arms (other than carried by law enforcement) and objectionable or hate speeches, are also banned.

The government has also banned pillion riding on two-wheelers and the use of loudspeakers in the city.

According to the report, the order was issued yesterday (2 December) and states that there exists an "imminent threat within the limits of District Rawalpindi" and the restrictions are being imposed to ensure "public safety, security, peace, and tranquillity."

"The District Intelligence Committee (DIC) has reported specific intelligence suggesting that certain groups and elements are actively mobilising with intentions to disturb the law and order situation through large gatherings, protests, and disruptive assemblies. The forum further indicates that these elements may target soft locations and mobilise individuals with the potential to engage in violent actions near key installations, and other sensitive sites, thereby endangering the public peace and tranquillity," the order reads.

Fears for Khan's life and health

The sons of Imran Khan have expressed fear that the Pakistani authorities are concealing "something irreversible" about his condition after more than three weeks with no evidence that he is still alive.

As court-ordered prison visits stay blocked and rumours swirl about possible prison transfers, his son, Kasim Khan, told Reuters the family has had no direct or verifiable contact with Khan, despite a judicial order for weekly meetings.

"Not knowing whether your father is safe, injured, or even alive is a form of psychological torture," he said in written remarks, adding that there had been no independently confirmed communication for a couple of months.

"Today we have no verifiable information at all about his condition," the son added. "Our greatest fear is that something irreversible is being hidden from us."

The family has repeatedly sought access for Khan's personal physician, who has not been allowed to examine him for more than a year, he added.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a jail official told Reuters that Khan is in good health, adding that he is not aware of any plan for a move to a higher-security facility.

The 73-year-old has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 parliamentary vote.

His first conviction centred on accusations that he unlawfully sold gifts received in office, in a proceeding widely referred to as the Toshakhana case.

Later verdicts added lengthy jail terms, including 10 years on accusations of leaking a diplomatic cable and 14 years in a separate graft case tied to the Al-Qadir Trust, a charity project prosecutors say figured in improper land deals.