Jemima Goldsmith appeals to PM Shehbaz Sharif for Imran Khan's sons to visit their father

LONDON: Jemima Goldsmith, former spouse of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Monday made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow her sons, Kasim Khan and Suleiman Khan, to visit their incarcerated father.

Kasim and Suleiman, who live in London with their mother, would have to travel to Pakistan to meet Imran Khan, currently held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. Jemima highlighted delays in visa issuance in a post on X, stating that although the Pakistan consulate normally processes visas in 7–10 working days, it has now been 60 days since the application was submitted.

She noted that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and PM spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi had previously assured that the boys could safely travel to see their father after four years. Jemima added that her sons have been unable to communicate with Imran by phone or letter, and have not seen him since 2022 following an assassination attempt. “This is an appeal directly to Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz to please allow Imran Khan’s two sons to see their father asap, particularly since, by all accounts, his health is in decline,” she wrote.

When approached for comment, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar downplayed the matter, saying, “There are more important issues in the world now.”

The issue has a complex history: last year, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik warned that the government could deny entry to the sons if they attempted to participate in political protests, a concern linked to a planned PTI demonstration. Aleema Khan, Imran’s sister, had clarified that the boys had applied for both National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicops) and visas, citing missing or misplaced documents as the reason for dual applications.

Interior Minister Tallal Chaudhry previously claimed that the sons had not submitted valid tracking numbers for their visa applications, though he assured that any eligible applicant would receive a visa within hours. Despite repeated assurances, Kasim and Suleiman remain unable to travel to Pakistan to see their father.

The growing delay has sparked renewed appeals from their mother, who emphasized the urgency given Imran Khan’s deteriorating health.