Sons of jailed Pakistani leader Imran Khan fear for his health

The sons of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Kasim and Sulaiman Isa Khan, are expressing grave concerns over their father's health. They maintain that authorities in Pakistan are obstructing their attempts to visit him, having denied them access for seven months. This comes on the third anniversary of Imran Khan's arrest, which took place on February 22, 2018.

Kasim and Sulaiman claim they have "no updates" because their father's family, doctors, and lawyers have not been permitted to see him since early 2019. Thousands of supporters from Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf party have taken to the streets in protests across Pakistan, demanding the release of the former cricketer and politician, as well as his wife, Bushra Bibi.

Imran Khan served as Pakistan's leader from 2018 to 2022, before being ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote. He has been in prison since his conviction for corruption and leaking state secrets, a verdict his supporters argue is politically motivated. After his removal from power, Khan has led large rallies against the current government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accusing them of orchestrating his removal with the help of the military and the United States – claims the military and the US have firmly denied.

Kasim and Sulaiman, currently residing in London, have criticized the Pakistani government for not facilitating their visits, citing delays in processing their visas and administrative complications. Despite Amnesty International urging Pakistani authorities to restore Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi's right to family visits and to end their solitary confinement, the ministry of information in Pakistan disputes the sons' claims, stating that their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis should grant them visa-free entry and that their cards have simply not been renewed.