Imran Khan's former wife Jemima expresses concern over his health in jail

ISLAMABAD: Jemima Goldsmith, ex-wife of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, on Wednesday called for his release, lifting a ban on his meetings with family and claimed that these were attempts “to silence them and all political opposition in Pakistan.”

Her allegations and the appeal came as a long post on X at a time when Pakistan is hosting the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Wednesday.

Khan, 72, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been incarcerated in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail for over a year with multiple cases against him and conviction in some of them.

The government of Punjab province – where the jail is – on October 7 banned Khan from meeting his family members, lawyers and party leaders till October 18, citing “security concerns”.

Jemima Goldsmith also alleged that for the past few years, she has been “bullied & harassed into silence by PML-N goons, including rape threats & countless conspiracy theories.”

PML-N, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, is Khan's arch rival party and is leading the ruling coalition in Pakistan. Khan and his party leaders have been alleging that PML-N is taking every step possible to end PTI's existence.

An English journalist, she was married to Khan from 1995 till 2004 and they have two sons.

In her post on X, after terming the developments in last few weeks as “serious and concerning” regarding cricketer-turned-politician's treatment in prison, Jemima Goldsmith said the Pakistan authorities had stopped all visits to him by his family and his lawyers, and also postponed all court hearings.

“In addition to cutting off in-person visits, and in defiance of a court order, his weekly calls to his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim Khan, who are British and who live in London, were stopped on September 10,” she wrote in the post on X.

She also alleged that the authorities have “now turned off the lights and electricity in his cell” and he is no longer allowed to leave his cell at any time; also that the jail cook has been sent on leave and claimed that Khan is now completely isolated, “in solitary confinement, literally in the dark, with no contact with the outside world.”

“These actions come in the context of ongoing targeting of Imran’s family, as well as his party (PTI) members and supporters in an attempt to silence them and all political opposition in Pakistan,” she further alleged.

She also mentioned Imran’s nephew, Hassan Niazi, a civilian, has been detained in military custody since August 2023 and more recently, his sisters, Uzma and Aleema Khan, were arrested as they made their way peacefully to a demonstration.

“As a matter of urgency, we are calling for Imran Khan’s release, and for the release of his sisters and nephew as well as for his sons’ contact with their father to be re-established, so that they may have assurance first-hand that he is well and not being mistreated,” she said.

In another post on X soon after, she said, “I usually don’t comment on Pakistani politics. I disagree with IK (Khan) on many political issues. But this is not about politics - it’s about my children’s father, his human rights & international law.”

She then alleged that for the past few years, she has been “bullied & harassed into silence by PML-N goons, including rape threats & countless conspiracy theories.”

Khan's former wife also claimed that social media is banned in Pakistan and how civilians have been abducted and anyone with a platform, who was speaking out, “is now in jail and silenced.”

Two days ago, PTI leader Barrister Saif, who is the information adviser of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's chief minister from Khan's party, too had raised concerns over prohibition saying it had led to growing anxiety among his party workers and supporters.