‘So proud…’: Former UK minister praises his nephews, speaking up for their jailed father Imran Khan

Zac Goldsmith, UK's former foreign office minister for the International Environment, Climate, Forests, Oceans, had high praises for his nephews – Kasim Khan and Suleiman Khan – on Tuesday. They are both Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan's sons.

In a note on X, Goldsmith, while advocating for Imran Khan himself, sang high praises of his nephews, feeling “proud” of them. While quoting a post by Mario Nawfal, an Australian entrepreneur, Goldsmith said, “So proud of my nephews. They have never courted publicity. The contrary. But they are speaking up now for their father @ImranKhanPTI - a hero for so many in Pakistan, an uncorruptible leader who is being tortured by a desperate, corrupt and greedy establishment.”

Nawfal's account has been withheld in India due to the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.

The 72-year-old has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi, the garrison city, since mid-2023 in connection with multiple cases.

Nawfal's interview with Imran Khan's sons

Imran Khan's sons Kasim Khan and Suleiman Khan, in an interview with Nawfal, urged US President Donald Trump and the international community to help free their jailed father.

According to a report published in Arab News, Kasim Khan and Suleiman Khan spoke about the “suppression of democracy” in Pakistan, and a lack of basic facilities for their father in his prison cell. They said he was being kept on “trumped up charges,” and called on the Trump administration and the international community to press Islamabad for his release.

“Anyone who looks into it a little can kind of see that,” Suleiman said. “In terms of a message to the Trump administration, we’d call for any government that supports free speech and proper democracy to join the call for our father’s release, and especially the most powerful leader in the world," the report quoted Suleiman as saying.

Imran Khan's older son Kasim Khan said they just wanted the international community to see what had been going on in Pakistan and “hopefully take action.”

Imran Khan's party files petition seeking his release

On May 9, Imran Khan's party had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking his release from jail, claiming a threat to his life due to the impact of the prolonged detention on his health and in view of the escalating military conflict with India, news agency PTI reported.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, in a WhatsApp message, said that the party's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur approached the Islamabad High Court for the release of the party founder.

“The Islamabad High Court has been approached for the release of Imran Khan. An application has been filed by Chief Minister KP Ali Amin,” a PTI report quoted the party.

“It has been requested that in view of the current war situation with India, for national harmony and solidarity, and due to the fear of a drone attack in Adiala Jail, he be immediately released on parole/probation."

(With inputs from agencies)