Sulaiman and Kasim Khan, the sons of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, have not heard their father’s voice in nearly six months; the last time they spoke to him was over Eid al-Fitr in March, and the call lasted 20 minutes. Kasim, 27, said the calls are usually around 20 minutes long and that their father often asks about their lives but quickly changes the subject when asked about his own well-being.

Concerns About Health and Legal Challenges

Imran Khan, 73, has been imprisoned for three years in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. Since his 2022 ouster in a vote of no confidence, he has faced over 100 legal cases, including charges of bribery, leaking state secrets, and illegally selling state gifts. He denies all the accusations against him, while Only one of his convictions remains, with others either suspended or overturned and pending appeal, and his family and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party believe the charges are politically motivated.

Two of his sisters, Uzma and Noreen, were recently allowed to visit him for the first time in months — they said he was agitated and mentally distressed due to solitary confinement. Sulaiman, 29, noted that his father’s heart rate spikes in his cell due to severe anxiety — Kasim said that Khan is usually calm and mentally strong, making his anxiety hard to believe.

Medical Concerns and Government Response

In February, Khan’s lawyers reported that he had lost 85 percent of the vision in his right eye; Sulaiman said his father was still wearing an eye patch when he saw their aunt recently. For 10 months, he wasn’t allowed any visitors, and apart from the brief visit from his sisters, none of the other orders have been followed.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting denied the family’s allegations, stating that Khan has received appropriate medical care and that the government has followed the directions of the Supreme Court. It said health matters should not be politicised and that the government has never adopted a disrespectful attitude toward anyone’s health.

On August 18, a three-judge Supreme Court bench ordered that Khan be moved to Shifa International Hospital within two days, granted weekly family visits, and allowed twice-weekly calls with his sons. His personal physician and sister, both doctors, were also to be involved in his medical care — However, he was instead taken to PIMS, a government hospital, for a brief check-up before returning to jail on August 20. Khan’s party has since filed a contempt petition.

Sulaiman said government doctors are essentially told what to say, and the family wants an independent medical check-up. “What are they hiding?” he asked. Kasim added that the establishment has absolute power and that efforts by the Supreme Court are ineffective — the family is trying to raise awareness and make as much noise as possible.

International Support and Family Calls for Help

Support for Khan’s release has come from the United Nations, Amnesty International, politicians in Washington and London, and 21 former cricket captains. Kasim said they are hoping the UK could make a difference because their father lived there for a long time and spoke highly of England. Their mother, Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith, has called on UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for help, saying Khan has endured three years of solitary confinement in what has become a human rights emergency.

Jemima said their sons, who are British citizens, have been denied visas and warned they risked arrest if they travelled to see Khan. She called the situation a human rights emergency. The sons last met their father in November 2022 after an attempted assassination on his life.

Kasim said they have plans to help their father but cannot disclose them publicly because anything they say is quickly intercepted by those in Pakistan. Sulaiman added that now is the toughest time but that there is more attention now, which helps. They are lucky to have good friends and a strong family unit who keep them sane.

The Pakistani ministry also denied claims that Khan has been isolated or denied contact, stating that records show approximately 198 interview sessions involving more than 900 visitor entries, including his sisters, family members, lawyers, doctors, political representatives, and other approved visitors. It described his prison conditions as humane, allowing for sleeping, sanitation, and exercise. He receives separately prepared meals, including meat, chicken, fruit, milk, nuts, juices, and bottled water. However, access to a prisoner cannot be used as a platform for unrestricted political communication or political activity from inside prison.

Kasim said he holds the government responsible for his father’s deteriorating health. “Where is the humanity in not allowing someone to receive basic health checks or treatment? It’s the pettiness, the petty torture techniques, not allowing him to have books, phone calls with his children, keeping him for 23 hours in an isolated cell,” he asked. He continued to believe in his father’s strength, saying that if anyone can remain resilient through this period, it’s him, even though the conditions are firm.