The sons of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan remain stranded in London, awaiting visa approvals to visit their ailing father who has suffered significant vision loss while in custody. Sulaiman Khan, 29, and Kasim Khan, 26—both British citizens from Khan’s marriage to Jemima Goldsmith—have been separated from their father since November 2022, following an assassination attempt on the former cricket star turned politician.
The brothers submitted visa applications last month but have received no response from Pakistani authorities, leading Sulaiman to speculate that ‘the establishment is worried that if we go and see him, it would create more noise, and just more attention to his situation.’
Medical concerns for the 73-year-old opposition leader have escalated dramatically following reports that he has lost 85% of vision in his right eye. Khan’s legal representative, Salman Safdar, appointed as amicus curiae by the Supreme Court, documented in a formal report that the former premier experienced ‘rapid and substantial vision loss over three months’ despite repeated complaints, with ‘no action taken by the jail authorities.’
The government maintains that Khan’s eyesight has shown significant improvement under their care, but the family rejects these claims due to the exclusion of Khan’s personal physicians and family representatives during medical examinations. Aleema Khan, the former prime minister’s sister, stated to Al Jazeera that the government’s refusal to allow independent medical oversight was ‘extremely concerning and unacceptable.’
Kasim Khan emphasized the broader implications, expressing concerns about ‘the government abiding by correct human rights processes and also the rule of law and just ensuring that he’s allowed a proper, fair trial.’ The situation has drawn international attention to Pakistan’s judicial processes and treatment of political prisoners, with Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party continuing to challenge his incarceration on corruption charges since May 2023.