‘914 days in solitary confinement’: Imran Khan’s sons say Pakistan blocking visas as ex-PM’s health worsens

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan with his son Sulaiman and Kasim Khan.

Imran Khan’s sons allege Pakistan is blocking their visas, preventing them from visiting their ailing, isolated father in jail. Concerns over Khan’s health and denied family access have intensified criticism of Islamabad’s handling and transparency.

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Pakistan is facing fresh criticism over its treatment of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, after his sons publicly alleged that authorities are blocking them from travelling to see their ailing father as concerns grow over his health and prolonged isolation.

Khan’s sons, Sulaiman Isa Khan and Kasim Khan, who live in London with their mother Jemima Goldsmith, say repeated attempts to obtain Pakistani visas have been stalled deliberately. The allegations have intensified scrutiny of Islamabad’s handling of Khan’s detention, which critics describe as punitive and opaque.

Sons say visas blocked, father kept isolated

Kasim Khan said on X on Wednesday that he and his brother have been unable to travel because Pakistani authorities are refusing to process their visas.

“My brother and I are trying to travel to Pakistan to see our father. For 914 days, he has been held in solitary confinement while his health deteriorates and he is denied access to independent medical care.”

Calling for outside intervention, he added, “I call on international human rights organisations and governments to speak out and act before irreversible harm is done.”

The sons’ claims come amid repeated complaints that Khan has been cut off from close family. Even his sisters, they say, have not been allowed to meet him regularly, despite orders from the Islamabad High Court permitting meetings twice a week.

Mounting concern over Imran Khan’s health

Speculation over Khan’s condition has grown in recent months. Last week, the Pakistani government acknowledged that the 73 year old had been taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.

According to Pakistani media reports, Khan underwent an eye procedure after doctors found that pressure in blood vessels had affected his vision. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, accused the government of quietly transferring him to hospital while keeping his family and party leadership in the dark.

PTI said Khan has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, calling it “a dangerous blockage in the retinal vein” that could lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly. The party also alleged that Khan has been denied access to doctors of his own choosing.

Who are Sulaiman and Kasim Khan

Raised in the United Kingdom, both sons have lived most of their lives outside Pakistan and are believed to hold British citizenship through their mother.

Kasim Khan, born in April 1999, studied Islamic history at the University of Bristol and has increasingly used social media to campaign for his father, repeatedly describing Khan’s detention as unlawful isolation.

Sulaiman Isa Khan, born in November 1996, studied in Birmingham and has worked with international non profit organisations. He previously helped run youth outreach for his maternal uncle, Jack Goldsmith, during a UK mayoral campaign. The brothers also briefly attempted a symbolic foray into British politics through a short lived party.

Pressure builds on Islamabad

The sons’ statements have renewed international focus on Pakistan’s handling of Imran Khan, with critics arguing that denying family access and restricting medical transparency reflects a broader erosion of due process.

As rumours over Khan’s health continue to circulate, Islamabad’s refusal to address the visa issue directly has only deepened accusations that the state is using isolation as a tool of pressure, further damaging Pakistan’s human rights record at a time of intense global scrutiny.