Imran Khan’s sons say they fear for their father’s ill health in a Pakistani prison and are seeking permission to meet the former prime minister, pleading with authorities to grant him access after a gap of more than two years.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan during an interview in 2023. (Reuters)Khan’s lawyer told Pakistan’s Supreme Court last week that the former cricketer had lost significant vision in his right eye while in custody. A medical board said on Monday that the swelling had reduced and his vision had improved after treatment.
Speaking to Reuters in London, where they are staying, Khan’s sons Qasim and Sulaiman, 26 and 29, said they were unsure about the medical report. They spoke to their father for the first time since September on Thursday.
They said their father usually avoids discussing his health, but he expressed frustration during the call, saying he had been denied eye care for months.
“Sometimes it’s hard to feel down because we’ve been away from him for so long,” Qasim said of his father, whom he and his brother call ‘Abba’, adding that he should be shifted to a proper medical facility and have access to private doctors.
Authorities say medical procedures are underway and reject opposition claims of negligence. The Supreme Court has asked for the details of his treatment.
Jail from August 2023Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 after he and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party were found guilty of being politically motivated.
Since he was ousted in a 2022 no-confidence vote, he has faced a series of cases, including state gifts and an illegal marriage. Some convictions have been stayed or overturned, pending appeal. He denies injustice.
Qasim and Sulaiman grew up in Britain after Khan’s divorce from their mother, British socialite and filmmaker Jemima Goldsmith. They have not seen their father since November 2022 when he survived an assassination attempt. They said they applied for the visa last month but have yet to receive a response.
“Maybe the organization is worried that if we go to see him, it will create more noise and draw more attention to his situation,” Sulaiman said, when asked why there might be a delay.
The Pakistani embassy in London and Pakistan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Qasim said their immediate concern was his health, but there were other important issues, including “ensuring his freedom, adherence to proper human rights processes and the rule of law and allowing him a proper, fair trial.”
Broadcast outlets have been restricted from airing Khan’s name and speech or even showing his picture. Only one court photo has been publicly available since the incarceration.
The PTI came to power in 2018 and retains a large support base across key provinces.
For four days, PTI supporters blocked major highways linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab, stranding thousands of vehicles and affecting fuel and food supplies in some areas.
Asked if he had a message for Khan’s supporters, Qasim told them to “keep believing and keep fighting”: “That’s the same kind of message we’re trying to keep.”
