Imran Khan’s sons plan to visit Pakistan amid concerns over ex-PM’s prison conditions

Dubai: The sons of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan have revealed plans to visit Pakistan in January, as they expressed deep concern over the conditions in which their father is being held.

Kasim and Suleiman Khan, speaking to Sky News’ Yalda Hakim from London, described the ex-premier’s cell as “awful” and highlighted what they called substandard treatment in Adiala Jail. The allegations have been denied repeatedly by the Pakistan government.

The interview comes amid heightened tensions surrounding Imran Khan’s imprisonment, as another sit-in by his sisters outside Adiala Jail was dispersed using water cannons.

Kasim Khan said he and his brother had applied for visas and hoped to travel in January. While the government had previously stated that the brothers were welcome to visit their father, the family has long faced restrictions on court-ordered prison visits, fuelling concerns about the former prime minister’s treatment.

Kasim stressed that any discussion about striking a deal was unrealistic. “It’s his life. It’s literally his passion and his goal. He calls it his life’s purpose to help rid Pakistan of corruption,” he said. He added that while the family would love to have Imran watching their sporting events from England, his mission in Pakistan remains paramount.

The brothers also spoke about the emotional toll of social media rumours regarding their father’s health. “It’s incredibly stressful. You go straight to your family group chat because that’s the only reliable source on the ground,” Suleiman said. Kasim described encountering the rumours as “jarring,” noting their sense of helplessness from abroad.

Imran’s family has repeatedly sought clarity and access, particularly following the death of their grandmother, Lady Annabel Goldsmith, in October. Kasim said he had not spoken to his father since her passing and expressed a desire to discuss the loss with him.

Suleiman emphasised the importance of international attention, calling for independent monitoring of Imran’s prison conditions. “At minimum, just to make sure that the standards of international human rights are being upheld, and right now they’re clearly being violated,” he said.

The brothers also indicated plans to advocate for their father in Brussels and Geneva, aiming to engage politicians and officials about his situation. They remain cautious yet resolute, citing the enduring popularity of their father in Pakistan as a potential reason for his continued detention.

Meanwhile, government spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi defended the treatment of Imran Khan, noting that he had held numerous visits with family and lawyers and that his personal physician had access. Zaidi said that security concerns had dictated temporary restrictions on meetings but maintained that the former prime minister’s basic rights were being observed.

Zaidi, who is Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson for foreign media, also appeared on Hakim’s show and said that Imran had been incarcerated for around 860 days.

He further said that Imran had held 137 meetings with his sisters, 45 with Aleema, 45 with Uzma and 43 with Noreen, noting that Aleema had held two more meetings since the numbers were tabulated.

“This doesn’t sound like solitary confinement to me. Imran also had held 451 interviews with his lawyers,” he said. He insisted that Imran’s personal physician was allowed to see him.

“There was a gap of about three and a half weeks in which the meetings were suspended. Now, those meetings were suspended because in every instance, there was a huge security issue that was being created. Every interaction that the former prime minister has had with his lawyers, with his family, becomes a political meeting,” Zaidi said.

When Hakim pointed out that his sons had not spoken to him for five months, Zaidi said, “His last phone call was in September. I’m not sure whether one of the boys was on it or not.” He further said that neither he nor anyone in the government wanted to “get into an argument with two young men who have not seen their father in a long time but against whom there is no sanction to not see or not speak to their father”.