RAWALPINDI:
Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has rejected claims that the former prime minister stopped his children from visiting Pakistan, clarifying that they were unable to travel after losing their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs).
“Imran Khan did not stop his children from coming to Pakistan. This is a lie. They already have NICOP cards, but they were lost. His children have applied for new NICOPs and visas,” Aleema told reporters outside Adiala Jail on Saturday.
A day earlier, In a statement shared on X, Aleema revealed that Sulaiman and Kasim had submitted their visa applications a few days ago. She said the High Commission had confirmed receipt of the applications and conveyed that their approval was pending with the Ministry of Interior.
However, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has raised questions regarding the nationality status of former prime minister Imran Khan’s children, citing Aleema’s earlier statement that the children hold National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP).
Responding to her post on X, Chaudhry said, “You previously stated that the children hold NICOPs. If that is true, they do not require visas to enter Pakistan. If they do need visas, that means they are not ‘Pakistani Nationals.’ What is the real truth behind it all?”
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Further speaking on the matter outside Adiala Jail, Aleema added that she had the tracking numbers of the visa applications, contradicting embassy officials’ claims that no such requests were made.
“It is surprising that the embassy says no applications were filed. A friend called the ambassador, who said permission was needed from the Interior Ministry. I told them to get it from Mohsin Naqvi if necessary. Later, they said the Foreign Ministry must issue the visas. Now the ambassador is not responding,” she noted, adding that in emergencies visas are usually granted within an hour.
When asked about Mishal Yousafzai’s appointment as senator, Aleema said, “I don’t want to waste my time discussing such people. My view is that justice should have been done. If it were about merit, many others besides Mishal Yousafzai qualified.”
On the broader political climate, Aleema relayed a message from Imran Khan, saying, “First the mandate was stolen, then democracy was undermined. The media has been silenced, and after the 26th amendment, the judiciary has been reduced to a state institution with no independent authority. Judges now only do what they are told.”
She further criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), comparing them to the former Q League, and accused them of continuing “loot and plunder.”
Commenting on the security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, she said Imran Khan had sent a message through PTI leader Ali Amin opposing a planned operation in the province. She added that Khan believes Pakistan must maintain good relations with Afghanistan as a neighbouring country.
Aleema stressed that PTI’s ongoing movement is not linked to Khan’s children but to his release. “We are working for our brother’s release. We have been coming to court for two years. If they want to arrest us, they can. The movement will continue until Imran Khan is free.”
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She concluded by criticising the government for barring Imran Khan’s sons from entering Pakistan. “Why is the government not allowing his sons to come? They must be given visas,” she said.
Earlier this month, Khan’s sister Aleema Khan had told reporters that Sulaiman and Qasim would participate in the protest movement. “They will first go to the United States to raise awareness about the injustices faced by their father and then take part in the movement in Pakistan,” she had said.
Reports also suggested that the brothers had held meetings with key individuals in the United States ahead of their possible arrival in Pakistan.
However, the issue has drawn reactions from the government as well. Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah warned that Khan’s sons, who reside in the United Kingdom with their mother Jemima Goldsmith, would be arrested if they participated in the protest.
