Islamabad [Pakistan], July 29 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has strongly denied media reports claiming that party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan barred his sons—Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan—from visiting Pakistan or participating in activities calling for his release.
The reports emerged earlier on Tuesday, quoting sources at Adiala Jail where Imran Khan is incarcerated. They claimed Khan allegedly told visitors that his sons would neither come to Pakistan nor take part in any protest movements. Khan has been in Adiala Jail since August 2023, serving a sentence in the £190 million corruption case and facing several charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023 protests.
Responding promptly, PTI Central Information Secretary Waqas Akram rejected the media claims. “The news circulating regarding Imran Khan Sahib’s children is completely false. He has absolutely not stopped his children from coming to Pakistan,” Akram said, as quoted by Dawn. “I urge media personnel covering Adiala Jail to report Khan Sahib’s statements accurately. Misreporting, selective quoting, or twisting his words is unacceptable.”
In a follow-up statement, Akram reaffirmed that Sulaiman and Kasim intend to visit Pakistan. “There should be no doubt—Imran Khan’s children will come to Pakistan. The only matter yet to be decided is the date. When they made their decision, they told their father they weren’t asking for permission but simply informing him. This propaganda serves no purpose,” he added.
Earlier, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan had said that Sulaiman and Kasim would first travel to the United States before coming to Pakistan to join the movement for their father’s release. The two brothers publicly addressed their father’s imprisonment for the first time in May 2025.
The federal government has yet to issue an official response. However, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry stated that the sons are welcome to visit Pakistan and that visas could be issued “in less than 24 hours”—provided they comply with all legal conditions.
Legal experts and government officials, however, have raised concerns about the brothers’ political involvement. Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik noted that, as British nationals, Sulaiman and Kasim do not have the constitutional right to participate in political demonstrations under Article 16, which guarantees freedom of assembly only to citizens. “If they violate visa terms, their visas can be revoked,” Malik added.
Political reactions were mixed. PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui supported the brothers’ entry into Pakistan, stating they should be allowed to engage in activities within the bounds of the law. Others, however, echoed Malik’s caution about legal limitations on foreign nationals engaging in political activism.
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