Bamako: Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, has accused the Pakistani government of obstructing her children from communicating with their father. The 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician Khan has been behind bars since August 2023. He was previously ousted as prime minister in a parliamentary vote of confidence in April 2022. Khan faces multiple charges, including corruption and terrorism, but his supporters believe the cases are politically motivated and aimed at thwarting his return to power.
According to Deutsche Welle, the rallies are set to start on August 5, organized by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudry dismissed the political significance of Imran Khan’s sons, saying, “they are not the focus for the government.” He stated that the former prime minister’s children were “welcome to visit Pakistan as lawful visitors, but if they break the law, they will be dealt with accordingly.”
The PTI party states that Khan’s children just want to see their father freed from jail and have no intention to participate in Pakistani politics. “Their arrival in the country to join a peaceful movement for the release of their father has triggered panic in the concerned quarters, therefore rumors of their possible arrests are being floated to test the waters,” said Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, an adviser to Imran Khan on international affairs and media.
Political analyst Asma Shirazi expressed skepticism about Khan’s sons’ participation in the protests, citing the current challenges facing the PTI party, which is riven by internal disputes. “If they come to rally for their father in the coming months, I don’t believe they will succeed in securing Khan’s release from jail. They are only portrayed as showpieces to galvanize public participation,” she told DW.
Legal expert Osama Malik advised against the government hindering Khan’s sons from meeting their father but cautioned them against political activity. “It should be clear that every country places certain restrictions on foreigners who enter a country on a visit or family visa. Khan’s sons should refrain from any political activity in Pakistan as it would be against their visa conditions,” he emphasized.
Despite being locked up, Khan still has millions of supporters across Pakistan and can still rely on his personal charisma to incite them to action. Khan’s PTI is currently gearing up to launch a massive campaign on August 5, setting up marches across Pakistan to press the government and the military to release Khan from prison. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and prominent PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur announced a new 90-day timeline for what he referred to as “a final push” to free Khan.
With the protests drawing near, the government is creating a new national paramilitary force, transforming an existing unit into the Federal Constabulary to ensure internal security, riot control, and counterterrorism efforts. Opposition parties and human rights organizations have warned that the force could be used for curtailing political and civil liberties.
The human rights situation in Pakistan has also been a subject of discussion in the US Congress, with concerns over government violations of basic freedoms, the denial of free and fair elections, and the continued imprisonment of ex-PM Khan. The situation has prompted calls for Washington to “redouble its commitment to democracy and human rights.”