Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, say the British Government has done too little as their father endures harsh conditions in Adiala prison. They allege cramped quarters, contaminated water, restricted reading and near‑total solitary confinement, and they accuse Pakistani authorities of misrepresenting a court‑ordered hospital transfer. Disillusioned by the previous UK stance, the brothers now seek urgent intervention from new UK leaders Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband while international voices call for medical care and transparency.
Imran Khan’s Sons Urge UK To Intervene as They Allege Dire Prison Conditions and Denied Access
Sulaiman (left) and Kasim Khan say they feel more cynical about foreign policy after their father's incarceration - Ben Montgomery for The Telegraph
On a warm late‑summer evening in a discreet Chelsea mews, the outward calm of Kasim and Sulaiman Khan’s family home belies a far bleaker reality. Their mother, film producer and screenwriter Jemima Goldsmith, takes a business call in the kitchen while the brothers discuss their father’s deteriorating situation in Pakistan: Imran Khan, the former prime minister, is serving a long sentence and his health and access to care have become a matter of international concern.
Pakistan is currently under the rule of another military dictatorship - AP/K.M. Chaudary
Family Home and Fear
The brothers describe routine life in south‑west London, but their conversation quickly returns to their father’s conditions in Rawalpindi’s Adiala prison — a 6ft‑by‑8ft cell some 5,000 miles away. They say his eyesight is worsening, the drinking water is foul and his access to visitors and reading material is extremely limited. Those close to him say he is kept in near‑total isolation for long periods.
Kasim and Sulaiman Khan were disappointed by the response of former foreign secretary David Lammy - Ben Montgomery for The Telegraph
Allegations About Adiala
Kasim and Sulaiman recount reports that Imran is confined in quarters they say are normally reserved for death‑row inmates and that poor water quality has led to hepatitis diagnoses among other prisoners. They quote United Nations guidance arguing prolonged solitary confinement can amount to torture and voice deep concern that the authorities are allowing his condition to deteriorate.
Imran Khan after he was shot in the leg in 2022 a year before his arrest - Getty Images/Arif Ali
"They're clearly hoping to kill him in there," Kasim says. "They want to silence him as quietly as possible and let him fade away."
Diplomatic Frustrations
The brothers are frustrated with the previous UK response. They say former foreign secretary David Lammy discouraged them from travelling to Pakistan and warned the UK could not offer consular support if they were detained. This has made them turn their hopes to the new UK leadership — Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband — and request urgent, private talks.
As well as being a minister in the Pakistani government, Mohsin Naqvi is also the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board - Getty Images/Sajjad Hussain
Hospital Transfer Dispute
The family says Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Imran transferred to Shifa International Hospital for full medical checks, but instead he was taken briefly to a state facility and returned to isolation. The brothers describe this as a "bait‑and‑switch," citing an incident in which Shifa doctors were reportedly left waiting while Imran was sent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Imran Khan with Jemima and a young Sulaiman - hutterstock
State Links and Cricket
The sons criticise the close ties between Pakistan’s state and the Pakistan Cricket Board, noting chairman Mohsin Naqvi also serves as interior minister. They said a row at Lord’s — when Pakistan briefly threatened not to resume play after an interview with the brothers was broadcast — illustrated how sensitive state bodies are to public commentary about Imran.
Imran Khan with his wife Bushra Bibi at Pakistan's high court at the start of their ordeal in 2023 - Getty Images/Arif Ali
International Reaction and Personal Toll
International figures including Australia captain Pat Cummins and former Pakistan great Javed Miandad have urged urgent, dignified medical care. Jemima Goldsmith has written publicly to UK leaders calling the situation "a human rights emergency." The brothers describe the emotional strain of limited contact: they say they have not seen their father for three years and have been unable to arrange phone calls since March.
Imran Khan's supporters celebrate in Lahore on the night he was elected prime minister in 2018 - Getty Images/Arif Ali
Memories and Motivation
Both men recall childhood visits to Pakistan, family time in the mountains, and simple conversations now denied to them. Kasim runs a digital marketing platform; Sulaiman has remained involved in politics. Their public appeals aim to draw international attention, secure medical care for Imran and win back basic access to their father.
Note: This article reports the brothers’ allegations and the public statements of officials and organisations. Claims about conditions and events are presented as reported by the family and cited sources.
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