Imran Khan accuses judges of ‘selling their souls’, says denied justice

Imran Khan , Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister, has accused the country’s judiciary of “selling their souls for personal privileges” , claiming that neither he nor his wife is receiving justice from the courts. The 73-year-old PTI founder has been incarcerated since August 2023 in multiple cases and is currently held at the high-security Adiala Jail , Rawalpindi.

In a telephonic conversation with his sons on Eid, shared on social media, Khan criticized judges for sacrificing their integrity for personal gain. His son Kasim Khan said the former cricketer-turned-politician wanted the public to hear his message. Khan also alleged that authorities are targeting his third wife, Bushra Bibi , subjecting her to inhumane treatment with near-total isolation and limited weekly contact.

Adding to his challenges, Khan on Monday underwent a third eye procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) , a serious condition that has caused him to lose 85 percent of vision in his right eye, according to his lawyer Salman Safdar. He received the third dose of an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection , administered under microscopy with standard medical protocols. Hospital authorities said Khan remained vitally stable before, during, and after the procedure, and the need for further treatment will be assessed after four weeks. PTI and Khan’s family have criticized the government for not allowing his personal physicians to oversee his care.

Khan and Bushra were convicted on January 17, 2025, in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case , with Khan sentenced to 14 years and Bushra to seven, accused of causing a loss of PKR 50 billion to the national exchequer. He also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act linked to protests by his party in May 2023.

His family, including his first wife Jemima Goldsmith , has been denied visas to visit him in Pakistan. Government officials suggested they use Pakistani identity documents (NICOP cards), a proposal criticized by Goldsmith as stripping her sons of British protection.

Khan has repeatedly described his imprisonment and ongoing trials as politically motivated , asserting that powerful state institutions are aligned against him. Supporters have voiced concern over what they describe as a systemic erosion of judicial independence and fairness , while critics argue that legal proceedings reflect accountability for alleged wrongdoing rather than persecution.