London, July 10, 2025: Jemima Goldsmith has condemned the Pakistani government over reported threats to arrest her sons if they attempt to visit their father, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023.
In a post on social media platform X, Jemima stated that her sons have been denied phone contact with their father, who remains in solitary confinement. “Pakistan’s government has now said if they go there to try to see him, they too will be arrested and put behind bars,” she wrote. “This doesn’t happen in a democracy or a functioning state. This isn’t politics. It’s a personal vendetta.”
Imran Khan, 71, has been incarcerated for nearly two years on a range of charges following his ouster through a no-confidence vote in April 2022. Jemima, who was married to Khan from 1994 to 2004, has rarely spoken publicly on Pakistani politics in recent years.
Her comments came after Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah warned in a televised interview that Khan’s sons would face arrest if they participated in PTI’s planned protests. “If they come here to lead a violent movement, then what should the response be?” he said.
One of Khan’s sons, Kasim Khan, also took to social media to criticize the treatment of his father. “He has now spent over 700 days in solitary confinement, denied access to his lawyers, family, and even his doctor,” he wrote. “This is not justice. It’s an attempt to isolate and break him.”
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik clarified in a TV appearance that while the government has no objection to Khan’s sons visiting Pakistan, their involvement in political activity would not be permitted. He said their aunt, Aleema Khan, had indicated their intention to join PTI protests. “If they’re coming to create unrest, that won’t be allowed,” he said. “If they had family values, they would have visited him earlier.”
PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui also downplayed the potential impact of their arrival. “Their presence won’t change anything,” he said, adding that Khan’s release would depend on legal avenues, not protests.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja defended the family’s right to participate in political activity, saying outside the Islamabad High Court: “If they choose to stand for their father’s rights, they’re well within their rights to do so.” He also called for the suspension of the sentences of both Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
Earlier, Khan’s sister Aleema confirmed that Kasim and Suleiman plan to visit the United States to raise awareness before traveling to Pakistan to join the party’s campaign.
