ISLAMABAD: The sons of former prime minister Imran Khan have urged US President Donald Trump and the international community to help free their father from prison, appealing to “people of influence” around the world to press for his release.
In a rare interview released on social media, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan spoke about the alleged “suppression of democracy” in Pakistan and a lack of basic facilities for Khan in his prison cell and said their father was being kept in prison on “trumped up charges.”
Khan has been in prison since August 2023 and faces a slew of cases he and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party say are politically motivated. The PTI has held frequent protests demanding his release and against the Pakistani government over what it says were rigged general elections in Feb. 2024 and a campaign to subdue PTI and its support base since Khan’s ouster from the PM’s office in April 2022 in a no-trust parliamentary vote.
Pakistani authorities deny the allegations, accusing the ex-premier and his party of leading violent anti-government protests in the past, particularly in May 2023 and Nov. 2024. Hundreds of PTI supporters were jailed after riots allegedly ordered by the party against the army on May 9, 2023, while the government says four troops were killed in protests in November last year to demand Khan’s release. The PTI denies instigating followers to violence.
“In terms of a message to the Trump administration, we’d call for any government that supports free speech and proper democracy to join the call for our father’s release, and especially the most powerful leader in the world,” Suleiman said in the interview with entrepreneur, business influencer and citizen journalist Mario Nawfal.
Sulaiman said there was a tradition of “dynastic politics” in Pakistan, dominated by two main parties, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and coalition partner the Pakistan Peoples Party, and his father wanted to break away from that tradition.
The former cricket-star-turned politician, who was believed to have been brought into power by Pakistan’s powerful military after 2018 elections, eventually fell out with top generals, accusing them of colluding with his political rivals to engineer his ouster from the PM’s office in the parliamentary no-trust vote. The military and Khan’s political rivals deny this.
Khan’s elder son, Kasim, said his children simply wanted the international community to be aware of what was going on in Pakistan and “hopefully take action.”
“We’d love to speak to Trump or try and figure out a way where he would be able to help out in some way because at the end of the day, all we are trying to do is free our father, bring democracy in Pakistan and just ensure his basic human rights,” Kasim said.
Sulaiman also appealed to “people of influence” around the world to speak for their father’s release.
“I think that would be huge, just to create a bit more noise because it’s definitely gone a bit quiet recently,” he said.
“We would love people to reach out to us if they have some influence or potential to help with this situation.”
Asked about reports that Khan may negotiate a deal with the government to get out of prison, Kasim said:
“I just don’t see him taking a deal like that to save his skin. He’s a very principled person ... I don’t think he’ll just take a deal while other people are sitting in cells on his behalf, his supporters.”
Sulaiman added that Khan had not “given up” despite almost two years in prison.
“He’s not just sitting in his cell, kind of twiddling his thumbs. He’s very much planning for the future, believes that change is coming.”
A parole hearing for Khan’s release is due to be heard in Islamabad today, Wednesday.
