Asked if they have a message for PTI supporters, Kasim asks them to ‘keep faith and keep fighting’
Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, sons of jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, pose for a photo on the day of an interview with Reuters in London, Britain February 16, 2026. — REUTERS
Imran Khan’s sons have cast doubt on his medical report and say they fear for their father’s deteriorating health in jail while seeking permission to visit the former prime minister and urging authorities to grant access after more than two years apart.
Imran’s, Barrister Salman Safdar, lawyer told the Supreme Court last week that the ex-premier had lost significant vision in his right eye while in custody. A medical board said on Monday the swelling had reduced after treatment and his vision had improved.
Speaking to Reuters in London, where they are based, Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, 26 and 29, said they were uncertain about the medical report. They spoke to their father on Thursday for the first time since September.
They said their father usually avoids discussing his health, but during the call he expressed frustration, saying he had been denied treatment for his eye for a few months.
“It’s hard not to feel low at times because we’ve been away from him so long,” Kasim said of his father, adding that he should be moved to a proper medical facility and have access to his private doctors.
Authorities say medical procedures are under way and reject opposition claims of neglect. The Supreme Court has sought details of his treatment.
Jailed since August 2023
Imran, 73, has been jailed since August 2023 after convictions he and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party call politically motivated.
Since his 2022 ouster in a no-confidence vote, he has faced multiple cases, including over state gifts and an unlawful marriage. Some convictions have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending. He denies wrongdoing.
Kasim and Sulaiman were raised in Britain after Imran’s divorce from their mother, British socialite and filmmaker Jemima Goldsmith. They have not seen their father since November 2022 after he survived an assassination attempt. They said they applied for visas last month but have yet to receive a response.
Sulaiman said, when asked why there could be a delay, that the authorities might be “worried that if we go and see him it would create more noise” and bring increased attention to his situation.
The Pakistani embassy in London and the Foreign Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Kasim said their immediate concern was his health, but there were other pressing issues, including “his freedom, abiding by correct human rights processes and also the rule of law and just ensuring that he’s allowed a proper, fair trial”.
The PTI swept to power in 2018 and retains a large support base across provinces.
For four days, PTI supporters have blocked major highways linking Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab, stranding thousands of vehicles and affecting fuel and food supplies in some areas.
Asked if they had a message for PTI supporters, Kasim asked them to “keep faith and keep fighting”, adding: “It’s the same kind of message we’re trying to hold on to.”
