LONDON/ ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Jemima Goldsmith has strongly criticised the Pakistani government for threatening to deny her sons any contact with their father, former prime minister Imran Khan, who remains in prison for nearly two years.
Her statement follows remarks by senior government officials suggesting that Khan’s sons could be arrested if they enter Pakistan and participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest, scheduled for later this month or the next.
“My children aren’t allowed to speak on the phone to their father Imran Khan. He has been in solitary confinement in prison for nearly 2 years,” Jemima posted on X.
“Pakistan’s government has now said if they go there to try to see him, they too will be arrested and put behind bars. This doesn’t happen in a democracy or a functioning state. This isn’t politics. It’s a personal vendetta.”
Meanwhile, Kasim also took to his ‘X’ account to express his concern over Imran’s condition in the jail. He wrote, “My father, former prime minister Imran Khan, has now spent over 700 days in prison -- held in solitary confinement. He is denied access to his lawyers, not allowed visits from his family, fully cut off from us (his children), and even his personal doctor is refused entry. This is not justice. It is a deliberate attempt to isolate and break a man who stands for rule of law, democracy and Pakistan”.
Quoting Imran, Aleema has said that all the doors have been shut, leaving his brother and PTI with no other option but to go for a movement for rule of law and independent judiciary. “Imran desires that the peak of the proposed movement should be on August 5 to coincide with his two years in confinement,” she said in a recent media talk
Her comments came after Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, during an interview to a private TV channel, warned: “If Imran Khan’s sons come to Pakistan and join the movement, they will be arrested.” When asked to clarify, Sanaullah said: “Why won’t they be arrested? If they come here to lead a violent movement, then what will be the consequence of that?”
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik, speaking on Geo New’s programme “Capital Talk”, stated: “We have no issue with them coming here, but we have an issue with them participating in political activity as foreign nationals.”
“If they intend to get a visa to visit Pakistan, the concerned authorities in the interior ministry will look at their purpose of visit. But their aunt (Aleema Khan) said that they are coming to join the PTI movement,” Malik added. “They are coming to spread discord and there is no permission for this,” he asserted, also saying: “If they had any family values, they would have come to see their father earlier.” Malik further claimed that PTI was “using these boys as trump cards” in a political stunt.
PMLN Senator Irfan Siddiqui, during an appearance on Geo News’ programme “Geo Pakistan”, said: “He [Imran Khan] wants to bring his children into politics, but their presence will not cause any political upheaval… there will be no storm if his children come to Pakistan.”
On PTI’s plans for protests, Siddiqui remarked: “They [his sons] or his sisters cannot secure his release. His release depends on his actions.”
He also dismissed rumours of a change of government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that the current setup would remain in place.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC), said: “It is the right of the sons of PTI founder to be a part of the movement.” He added that both Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi are entitled to have their sentences suspended. Citing precedent, Raja said: “It is not wrong to come out for one’s rights, as Benazir Bhutto also launched a movement.”
Earlier, speaking outside the Adiala Jail, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema said that Khan’s UK-based sons, Kasim and Suleiman, plan to first visit the US to raise awareness and then travel to Pakistan to join PTI’s political campaign.
Meanwhile, provincial minister for housing Bilal Yasin has ‘welcomed’ Imran Khan’s sons and asked them to bring their sister Tyrian also.
He said this while responding to a question about the return of PTI founder Imran Khan’s children to Pakistan during a press talk. Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin said that Suleman and Qasim were now learning Urdu and preparations for their return to Pakistan were underway. He added, “We also welcome Imran Khan’s daughter Tyrian along with both sons.”
“Those who misled the nation will now launch new episodes, but the public is well aware of their deception and misleading campaigns,” he maintained.