ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Wednesday said jailed former prime minister Imran Khan would be allowed to speak with his sons in the United Kingdom on Eid Al-Fitr, adding that they were also welcome to visit Pakistan using their National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP).
The government’s response came after Khan’s former wife Jemima Goldsmith appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow her sons to visit their father, citing his declining health.
She said in a post on X that Khan’s sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, applied for Pakistani visas in January but had received no response after 60 days, even though the online processing time normally takes seven to 10 days.
The 74-year-old cricketer-turned politician has been in prison since August 2023 in cases he and his party say are politically motivated. Khan’s health has become a political issue after his vision in one eye deteriorated significantly, for which he had to undergo a medical procedure twice at a public hospital.
“Imran Khan’s phone call will be arranged on Eid Day with his children as done in the past as well,” Tarar said in a post on X.
“His children are welcome to visit Pakistan on their NICOP Cards as Pakistani citizens for which no visa is required,” he added. “However, they will fully comply with the laws of Pakistan during their stay.”
Eid is expected on Mar. 20 or Mar. 21 in Pakistan. The last time Khan spoke to his sons was in February for about 20 minutes, according to his sister Aleema Khan.
Earlier on Mar. 12, a Pakistani high court directed authorities to form a medical board of government doctors to assess whether Khan needs to be transferred to a hospital following a rejection of his request to be moved to a private facility for treatment.
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), in a report on Mar. 9, said Khan’s vision had “improved remarkably” following an examination after he received an intravitreal injection amid concerns related to his eyesight.
The former prime minister was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence. Since his imprisonment, he has faced multiple convictions and ongoing legal proceedings that authorities say follow due process, while his party describes them as efforts to sideline him from politics.
