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Imran Khan's sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, have reiterated concerns about their father's health in a fresh interview with CNN, urging the international community to intervene. The interview, published Thursday, comes as the former prime minister marks three years since his imprisonment on August 5, 2023.

Coverage Comparison

Two South Asian news outlets, Dawn and The Hindu, reported on the interview with differing emphases. Dawn's coverage focused on the sons' concerns and the government's actions, noting that the government has provided treatment for Imran Khan's eye ailment. The Hindu's report, meanwhile, highlighted the family's appeal for international intervention and described Khan's health as deteriorating, with a more critical tone toward the Pakistani government.

Both outlets reported Khan's arrest on August 5, 2023, in connection with the Tosha Khana (national treasury) case. However, they provided slightly different details: Dawn mentioned a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case, while The Hindu noted his conviction for corrupt practices in the Tosha Khana case without specifying a sentence. Both reports agree that Khan faces other pending legal cases, with The Hindu noting subsequent arrests and convictions in several other cases, and Dawn referring to pending trials in terrorism cases related to the May 9, 2023, riots.

A key point of divergence is Khan's medical care. The Hindu quoted Kasim Khan as saying his father's eyesight "continues to deteriorate" and that he "urgently needs medical attention," while Dawn reported that the government has provided treatment for Khan's eye ailment. These conflicting accounts are not resolved in the available reports.

Key Claims

  • Urgent medical needs: In the CNN interview, Kasim Khan said his father's eyesight is deteriorating and that he urgently needs medical attention. He also stated that the family has no updates because Khan's family, doctors, and lawyers have not been allowed to see him for seven months, leaving them "more in the dark than we've ever been through his incarceration."
  • Solitary confinement: The Hindu reported that Khan is held in solitary confinement at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Dawn did not mention solitary confinement, but reported restrictions on meetings.
  • Arrest and conviction: Both reports confirm Khan's arrest on August 5, 2023, after an Islamabad trial court found him guilty of corrupt practices in the Tosha Khana case. Dawn says he is serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case.
  • Denied family contact: Kasim Khan said he and his brother have been denied contact with their father for months, noting they have not heard his voice since March. Dawn reported that the government banned all meetings with Khan since December 2025, following his comments about Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir.
  • Government's response: Dawn reported that the government has provided treatment for Khan's eye ailment. CNN also quoted Pakistan's information ministry as saying that Kasim and Sulaiman had National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop), meaning they did not require visas to enter Pakistan, and described the brothers' claims as "misleading and appear to convert an administrative process into an issue of political point-scoring." The ministry did not address the brothers' claim that their Nicops had expired.

Perspectives

Imran Khan's sons: Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, speaking from London, expressed deep concern about their father's health and lack of access, urging the international community to intervene. They said they have been "more in the dark" than ever and that their attempts to visit Pakistan have been hindered by delayed visas and administrative issues.

Pakistan's information ministry: In a statement quoted by CNN, the ministry said the brothers' claims were "misleading" and suggested they were engaging in "political point-scoring." The ministry maintained that the brothers did not require visas because of their Nicops, without addressing their assertion that the cards had expired.

Imran Khan's party (PTI): Dawn noted that Khan's family and party leaders have repeatedly voiced concerns over lack of access to him since his eye ailment came to light in January, indicating a broader political dimension to the family's appeals.