He says everyone knows why visas are rejected and why it is recommended to travel with NICOP
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Jemima Goldsmith. Photos: Archive
Jemima Goldsmith, ex-wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, alleged on Thursday that the government was denying visas to her sons, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan, in an attempt to deprive them of British protection in case of possible arrest upon arrival in Pakistan.
His statement came a day after Information Minister Ataullah Tarar welcomed his children to visit Pakistan using their National Identity Cards for Pakistan Overseas (NICOP), which he said would allow them to travel visa-free.
In response to Tarar, Jemima wrote on
We all know that the reason you refuse their visas and recommend that they travel with NICOP cards (which they do not currently have) is because that way they will have no British protection if you decide to arrest them on arrival.
– Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) March 19, 2026
Jemima had appealed directly to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, urging the government to allow Kasim and Sulaiman to visit their father in jail.
“My sons Sulaiman and Kasim applied for visas in January (again…) so that they could visit their father Imran Khan in Pakistan. The Pakistan consulate claims that online visa processing normally takes 7-10 business days. Now it has been 60 days,” he said.
Imran has been jailed since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. Additionally, he faces pending lawsuits under the Anti-Terrorism Law related to the May 9, 2023 protests.
Read more: Imran’s children do not need visas to visit Pakistan
Kasim and Sulaiman have not seen their father since November 2022, after he survived an assassination attempt. They said they applied for visas in January but have not yet received a response.
Kasim had accused the government last month of deliberately refusing to process his and his brother’s visas to prevent the brothers from meeting their father. He said denying treatment to a prisoner was cruel and denying his children the right to see him was collective punishment.
Last year, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan told reporters that the brothers would take part in a protest movement planned for August 5, 2025.
Later, it was reported that Imran had declared that his children would not come to Pakistan to join the protest. The brothers subsequently held meetings with key people in the United States.
