Jemima Goldsmith, the former spouse of PTI founder Imran Khan, has made serious allegations against the Pakistani government. She claimed on Thursday that the government is recommending Imran Khan’s sons travel to Pakistan on National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicops) deliberately to deny them British protection upon arrival.
Her statement, issued on social media platform X, was a direct response to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. On Wednesday, Minister Tarar had publicly stated that Imran’s children were welcome to visit Pakistan on Nicops, for which no visa was required, provided they “fully comply with the laws of Pakistan during their stay.”
Jemima vehemently countered this, stating, “We all know that the reason you are refusing their visas and recommending they travel on Nicop cards (which they don’t have presently) is because that way they will have no British protection if you choose to arrest them on arrival.” This public exchange highlights the ongoing political tensions surrounding Imran Khan and his family, with his sons, Kasim and Suleiman, currently residing in London.
The situation has escalated since January, when Kasim and Suleiman initially applied for visas, with processing delays extending to 60 days. This was despite previous public assurances from figures like Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and PM’s spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi, who had committed to their safe travel to see their father, who is imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. The consistent refusal to process their visas and the push for Nicops have been interpreted as a political maneuver, adding another layer of complexity to Pakistan’s domestic political landscape.
