Kasim accuses govt of 'deliberately refusing' to process visas, obstructing meeting with Imran

Kasim Khan, the son of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Wednesday again accused the government of deliberately refusing to process his visa and that of his brother to prevent the siblings from meeting their father. Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. In addition, he faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023. The party has expressed concern in recent days over Imran's health and demanded treatment by his own team of doctors. Last year, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan had told reporters that Sulaiman Khan and Kasim would participate in a protest movement planned for August 5, 2025. Later, it was reported that Imran had stated his sons would not be coming to Pakistan to join the protest. The brothers had later held meetings with key individuals in the United States. Read More: Son voices fears for Imran's safety However, the issue has drawn reactions from the government as well. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah warned that Imran's sons, who reside in the United Kingdom with their mother Jemima Goldsmith, would be arrested if they participated in the protest. In a post on X today, Kasim said: "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. Now the government is deliberately refusing to process our visas." He said that denying a prisoner treatment was cruel and denying his children the right to see him was collective punishment. "I call on international human rights organisations and governments to speak out and act before irreversible harm is done." 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. Now the government is deliberately refusing to process our visas.… pic.twitter.com/L23ZRmRDZj — Kasim Khan (@Kasim_Khan_1999) February 4, 2026 Two days earlier, the PTI alleged, citing a report, that the government had decided to withhold visa approvals for Imran’s sons to prevent access to him. It claimed according to a source in the interior ministry, “they will not be given visas. The decision has been made. The government only wants to delay the decision as long as possible without actually announcing the decision.” The report claimed the government planned to deny the visas on technical grounds — such as a failure to disclose recent travel to the United Arab Emirates — rather than issuing an outright rejection. Sulaiman and Kasim have previouly appealed for international attention to what they describe as their father’s “inhumane” incarceration, calling particularly on US President Donald Trump to use his influence to support his release. Also Read: Imran being kept in ‘poor conditions’ The brothers previously said they were compelled to speak out due to the desperate circumstances surrounding their father’s detention. 

from Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/6f14Lv0