She says her children applied for visas in January, the consulate indicated a processing time of 7 to 10 days, but it has already been 60 days
PM Shehbaz (clockwise), Imran Khan, Jemima Goldsmith, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan. Photos: Archive
Jemima Goldsmith, ex-wife of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Monday made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow her sons, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan, to visit their father in prison.
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 Act (ATA) related to the protests of May 9, 2023. The brothers 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.
In a post today on X, Jemima said the request was motivated by concerns about Imran’s health and delays in the visa process for her children.
“This is a direct appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow Imran Khan’s two children to see their father as soon as possible, especially since, from all indications, his health is worsening,” he wrote.
My children Sulaiman and @kasim_khan_1999 They applied for visas in January (again…) to allow them to visit their father @ImranKhanPTI in Pakistan. The Pakistan Consulate states that online visa processing normally takes 7-10 business days. It’s been 60 days. This despite the public…
– Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) March 16, 2026
Jemima added that her children had applied for visas earlier this year but had not yet received approval.
“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.
Jemima said this was despite a public promise that her children would be able to safely travel to Pakistan to see their father after four years, assurances that Defense Minister Khawaja Asif had given to British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan and the prime minister’s spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi had relayed to News from heaven presenter Yalda Hakim.
“They are not allowed to talk to him on the phone or send him a letter. They have not seen him since 2022, after he was shot in an assassination attempt,” he said.
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.
