Did India Request Pakistan To Hand Over Imran Khan? No, PIB Calls Out Fake MEA Letter

Claim

A “Top Secret” document circulating on social media claims to be a leaked Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) communication. The viral letter alleges that the Indian government formally requested Pakistan to transfer former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently in jail, to India for his “personal security” as a political prisoner.

Fact

We found several formatting discrepancies which reveal the letter is fake. Generally, authentic formal letters follow a strict and consistent format, including proper punctuation, uniform font style, and well-structured paragraphs. The viral letter shows clear inconsistencies like some paragraphs appear in bold while others use a lighter font, and several sections lack proper paragraph spacing. In some places, a new paragraph begins without any line break, indicating a non-official and poorly formatted document.

Additionally, the “Top Secret” stamp in the viral letter appears oddly placed on the top right and looks visually inconsistent with official government markings. A simple Google search shows that this exact stamp is easily available online, indicating it was likely copied rather than officially issued.

The viral document refers to the former Pakistani PM as “Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi.” In official Indian communications, he is addressed simply as “Imran Khan.” The letter also uses phrases such as “political prisoner,” terminology that is unlikely to appear in formal diplomatic correspondence between India and Pakistan.

We checked the Ministry of External Affairs’ official website, press releases, and public statements, and found no reference to such communication. A check of MEA’s PAI (Pakistan, Afghanistan & Iran) Division also yielded no record of any such letter. 

We have reached out to the division for an official comment and will update the report when a response is received.

On December 1, 2025, PIB Fact Check issued a clarification on X, stating that the circulating letter is fake. PIB noted that several Pakistani propaganda accounts are sharing the fake MEA document as part of an “ongoing disinformation campaign.” 

“This letter is fake. The claims being made in this letter are false, baseless, and part of an ongoing disinformation campaign being pushed by Pakistan against India,” PIB said in a post on X.

This fake MEA letter is not an isolated instance. Recently, a morphed letter falsely attributed to Air Chief Marshal AP Singh was circulated to suggest he praised Pakistan’s military capabilities. Newschecker has also debunked doctored videos of the CDS General Anil Chauhan and COAS General Upendra Dwivedi that were shared as part of similar disinformation attempts.

Also Read: Did Air Chief Marshal AP Singh Praise Pakistan’s Defence Capabilities? No, Viral ‘Message’ Is Fake

Hence, we conclude that the viral “Top Secret” MEA letter is fake. Official verification by PIB, cross-checks with MEA records, and multiple formatting inconsistencies show that no such request was made by India to Pakistan regarding Imran Khan.

Sources

X Post by PIB Fact Check, December 1, 2025
Report by India Today, March 24, 2021