Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the sons of former prime minister Imran Khan can visit Pakistan using their National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), stating that no visa is required for them. 

 

The statement came in response to a post by Jemima Goldsmith, who appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over delays in the issuance of visas for her sons Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan.

 

Responding on X, Tarar said, “Imran Khan’s phone call will be arranged on Eid day with his children as done in the past as well.” He added, “His children are welcome to visit Pakistan on their Nicop cards as Pakistani citizens for which no visa is required. However, they will fully comply with the laws of Pakistan during their stay.”

 

In her appeal, Jemima said, “My sons Sulaiman and Kasim Khan applied for visas in January (again… ) to allow them to visit their father, Imran Khan, in Pakistan.” She added, “The Pakistan consulate states that online visa processing normally takes 7–10 working days. It has now been 60 days.”

 

She said the delay came despite public statements by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and government spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi regarding their travel. “Meanwhile, they are not allowed to speak to him on the phone, nor send him a letter,” she said, adding, “They haven’t seen him since 2022, after he was shot in an assassination attempt.”

 

Jemima appealed, “This is an appeal directly to Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz to please allow Imran Khan’s two sons to see their father asap.”

 

Last month, Kasim alleged that the government was deliberately refusing to process their visas. The two had earlier said in December 2025 that they had applied for visas and were planning to travel in January.

 

In August 2025, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan said the two had applied for NICOP as well as visas after Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry questioned why visas would be required if they had the cards. 

 

Separately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf criticised the delay, stating that the details shared by Jemima were “not only deeply concerning, but also evidence that the government has failed to uphold basic human values and family rights.” The party said the delay was a “deliberate delaying tactic” and added, such treatment is being meted out to a man who has served as the country’s former prime minister.