Says everyone knows why visas being refused and why travel on NICOP being recommended
Info Minister Ataullah Tarar and Jemima Goldsmith. Photos: File
Jemima Goldsmith, ex-wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, alleged on Thursday that the government was refusing visas for their sons, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan, in an attempt to deprive them of British protection in the case of a possible arrest upon arrival in Pakistan.
Her statement came a day after Information Minister Ataullah Tarar welcomed her sons to visit Pakistan using their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), which he said would allow them to travel without a visa.
Responding to Tarar, Jemima wrote on X: “We all know that the reason you are refusing their visas and recommending they travel on NICOP cards (which they don’t have presently) is because that way they will have no British protection if you choose to arrest them on arrival.”
We all know that the reason you are refusing their visas and recommending they travel on NICOP cards (which they don’t have presently) is because that way they will have no British protection if you choose to arrest them on arrival. https://t.co/DOb4OlV6Aw
— Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) March 19, 2026
Jemima had directly appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, urging the government to allow Kasim and Sulaiman to visit their father in jail.
“My sons Sulaiman and Kasim applied for visas in January (again…) to allow them to visit their father Imran Khan in Pakistan. The Pakistan consulate states that online visa processing normally takes 7–10 working days. It has now been 60 days,” she had said.
Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. In addition, he faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023.
Read More: Imran’s sons don’t need visas to visit Pakistan
Kasim and Sulaiman have not seen their father since November 2022, after he survived an assassination attempt. They said they applied for visas in January but have yet to receive a response.
Kasim had accused the government last month of deliberately refusing to process his visa and that of his brother to prevent the siblings from meeting their father. He said that denying a prisoner treatment was cruel and denying his children the right to see him was collective punishment.
Last year, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan had told reporters that the brothers would participate in a protest movement planned for August 5, 2025.
Later, it was reported that Imran had stated his sons would not be coming to Pakistan to join the protest. The brothers had later held meetings with key individuals in the United States.
