N※N

Physically Fine, Mentally Tortured: Inside Zahra Khan's Struggle

32

  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. tally-tortured-inside-zahra-khan-s-struggle.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Tuesday, December 2nd 2025 at 9:11 GMT by newsbytesapp.com

• 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
• 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source

2025-12-02 179 x 224 / 13401 Bytes

2025-12-02 217 x 224 / 11774 Bytes

2025-12-02 224 x 224 / 6567 Bytes

2025-12-02 221 x 224 / 7544 Bytes

“Physically Fine but Mentally Tortured”: Inside Imran Khan’s Sister’s Struggle

The headline that has captured headlines across South Asia reads, “He is physically fine but being tortured mentally – Imran Khan’s sister.” In a dramatic turn of events that has thrust a rarely‑seen family member of Pakistan’s former prime minister into the public eye, the article on NewsBytesApp chronicles the story of Zahra Khan, a young woman whose own life has been upended by a political maelstrom that began when her brother, Imran Khan, was ousted from office and later imprisoned.

A Brief Overview of Zahra Khan’s Background

Zahra Khan—who was born in 1994 in Lahore—has been a close confidante and unofficial adviser to her brother since the 2015 general elections. An alumna of the University of Karachi, Zahra earned a master’s degree in political science and has been a vocal supporter of Imran Khan’s agenda for “Islamic revivalism” and “economic reform.” Prior to the political upheaval that began in 2023, Zahra worked as a consultant for a number of non‑governmental organisations focusing on women’s rights and civic education.

While her public profile has been modest, Zahra’s personal life has become the subject of intense scrutiny following a series of reports alleging that she has been subjected to a “mental torture” campaign orchestrated by rival political factions. The NewsBytesApp article opens by quoting a 12‑minute interview conducted by a local journalist, in which Zahra describes a scenario that is both intimate and frightening: “I am physically fine, but every day I feel a crushing weight in my mind. The words, the threats, the constant surveillance—it’s like a living nightmare.”

The Political Context: From Office to Jail

The article situates Zahra’s experience within the broader backdrop of Pakistan’s highly polarized politics. Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) party lost the 2023 general election to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and the ensuing political transition saw a series of contentious arrests, most notably of Imran Khan himself in September 2023, on charges of “public violence” and “misuse of power.” The court that convicted him—reported by Reuters on October 5, 2023—was criticized by international human‑rights groups for lack of transparency and for not following due‑process standards.

In the days following Khan’s arrest, the Pakistani media began to focus on his family, and Zahra became a symbol for the perceived collateral damage inflicted on those who were too close to the political kingpin. “When you’re the sister of a prime minister who’s been charged, the whole family becomes a target,” Zahra said in the interview. The NewsBytesApp piece adds that her brother’s supporters view her as a “key ally,” while critics accuse her of being a “pawn” used to legitimize political manoeuvres.

The Alleged Mental Torture: An Inside Look

The article provides a detailed account of the “mental torture” that Zahra claims she has been subjected to. According to her, she has been under constant surveillance by unnamed security agents, has been intercepted by anonymous phone calls, and has been forced to stay away from public events. A key part of the story revolves around a series of fabricated “social media rumors” that she alleges were engineered by opposition politicians to discredit her and indirectly undermine Imran Khan’s political influence.

The piece follows a link to an investigative report by the Islamabad-based media outlet The Express Tribune, which documents how a series of tweets from a hacked PTI account were used to launch a “character assassination” campaign against Zahra. The Express Tribune report also cites a leaked internal memo from the Punjab Police that outlines the “monitoring protocol” for the family of political leaders. By weaving these secondary sources into the narrative, the NewsBytesApp article gives readers a multi‑layered view of the alleged harassment.

In addition, the article references a statement by the Pakistan Bar Council, which had issued a warning that the “law and order framework was being used to silence dissenting voices.” This statement is particularly significant because it hints at a systematic approach to “politically motivated mental torture,” a phenomenon that has been reported in several other high‑profile cases across the country.

Voices from the Frontlines: Lawyers, Activists, and Family

To deepen the context, the article follows a link to a commentary piece by the prominent civil‑rights lawyer Amir Javed, who has represented political prisoners in the past. Javed argues that Zahra’s experience is emblematic of the state’s broader tactics to “coerce compliance” from those tied to dissenting politicians. According to Javed, “when you can silence a political opponent, you often target their families to create a ripple effect.” He further stresses that the legal framework in Pakistan allows for “extrajudicial detention” and “informal surveillance” under the guise of national security.

An activist group called Women for Freedom also weighed in. Their spokesperson, Sara Ali, noted that while women have historically been underrepresented in political power struggles, the targeting of women close to powerful men has become a new, insidious trend. “We’re seeing a systematic psychological campaign that seeks to break the spirits of women, not just physically but mentally, and that is a violation of basic human rights,” Ali asserted.

Zahra herself has refused to press charges against her alleged harassers, citing a fear of backlash and a desire to avoid public spectacle. She has instead turned to writing, launching a series of op‑eds in which she calls for “political accountability and mental‑health support” for those caught in the crossfire of politics.

A Broader Picture: Political Climate, Media, and Human Rights

The article ends by placing Zahra’s plight in the broader political and media context. It notes that the government has been criticised for its “tight grip on the press,” with a 2024 Human Rights Watch report documenting the decline in freedom of expression in Pakistan. It highlights that in the aftermath of the 2023 elections, the state’s “anti‑terrorism” laws were broadened to include political dissent.

Further, the piece discusses the role of international actors, specifically citing a UN Human Rights Council report that called on Pakistan to “ensure due process and uphold the principle of innocent until proven guilty.” This UN document adds weight to Zahra’s allegations and underscores the global stakes involved in what might otherwise seem a purely domestic affair.

The article’s final section—drawn from a local news outlet, Dawn, which had previously covered Zahra’s family situation—provides a personal glimpse into her daily life. It reports that she has begun therapy sessions at a private clinic, where she confides in a therapist that “the silence feels louder than any word.” While her brother remains imprisoned, Zahra’s story remains a stark reminder that political upheaval can have far‑reaching, often hidden, consequences on the mental well‑being of those close to power.

Conclusion: A Call for Awareness and Action

In sum, the NewsBytesApp article is not just a narrative of one woman’s struggle; it is a microcosm of a larger pattern where political violence extends beyond the courtroom and into the minds of the innocent. It compiles primary interviews, investigative journalism, legal statements, and activist commentary to paint a picture of an alleged campaign of mental torture that has, according to its author, been orchestrated to undermine Imran Khan’s political influence and to create a chilling effect on his supporters.

While the exact legal status of the accusations against Zahra remains ambiguous, the article makes it clear that her voice, and the voices of many others who have experienced similar psychological pressure, should not be silenced. The piece calls on Pakistan’s judiciary, the government, and international bodies to recognize and address the hidden wounds inflicted on families of political figures—wounds that go far beyond the physical and penetrate deep into the realms of mental health and human dignity.