Following increasing international media pressure, the Pakistani government has allowed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to speak to his sons, Kasim and Suleiman, for the first time in four months. Sources confirm that the phone call lasted approximately 70 to 75 minutes and came shortly after the brothers’ appearance on the Piers Morgan Uncensored show, where they criticized the Pakistani leadership for stifling democracy and ignoring public sentiment.
This rare permission came on the heels of Kasim Khan’s earlier interview with US media, in which he revealed the disturbing conditions of Khan’s imprisonment: extended isolation, psychological torture involving ten days of total darkness, lack of medical care, and being forced to bathe with muddy water. Kasim stressed that his only objective was to secure justice for his father, not to engage in politics.
The family’s advocacy efforts abroad have led to growing scrutiny of Pakistan’s treatment of political prisoners, putting Islamabad on the defensive. The outcry from Pakistani-American communities, who have called on figures like Donald Trump to intervene, has only intensified the pressure on the ruling establishment.
Despite the limited breakthrough, whether Kasim and Suleiman will be allowed to visit their father in Pakistan remains uncertain. Conflicting reports have emerged about the visa issuance process. Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, expressed frustration over the government’s lack of clarity. “Yesterday, I heard the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be issuing the visas instead of the Ministry of Interior,” she said, pointing out that even embassy officials are providing no definitive answers.
Aleema also emphasized that the timing of her nephews’ visit has nothing to do with the PTI’s upcoming protest campaign, expected to peak on August 5.
“This movement belongs to the people,”
she clarified, distancing the family’s intentions from political speculation.
Unlike members of Pakistan’s political dynasties such as the Sharifs, Kasim and Suleiman have never involved themselves in their father’s political career. The brothers have lived abroad as entrepreneurs and maintain no financial or political ties to Pakistan. In contrast, the Sharif family has long been accused of operating as a tightly connected political and business cartel, often shielding one another from corruption charges and tax evasion cases.
The Khans’ disconnection from Pakistani politics stands in stark contrast to dynasties that use political power for generational gain. While Nawaz Sharif’s children actively participate in governance, Imran Khan’s sons remain focused solely on family, not statecraft.
