Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sons Suleman and Kasim Khan appeared on Channel 4 to speak about their father’s incarceration and Pakistan’s political situation, triggering a wave of criticism from Pakistanis who accused the two of attempting to tarnish the country’s image on the world stage.
Speaking to the interviewer, the brothers said that while they would “applaud their efforts to mediate,” they believed that the government’s diplomatic engagements were nothing more than an attempt to “whitewash their image on the world stage and distract from the human rights abuses and the kind of insults to democracy that they’ve been continuing for the last few years”.
The brothers also pointed to what they called a pattern of state crackdown on dissent. They told the interviewer that as recently as February, a civilian who had done nothing more than film a police van carrying their father was arrested and had not been released since.
They referred to the current setup as a “military regime” and a “dictatorship,” though they conceded that calling for street protests at this moment was not the right move, saying it was “for the greater good”.
The interview did not sit well with a large number of Pakistanis online.
“What’s particularly striking is that at a time when Pakistan is engaged in peace negotiations and the world’s attention is focused on the country, this seems to be a deliberate and coordinated attempt to shape a particular anti-Pak narrative,” one user wrote.
Others felt the brothers had overstepped the line. “They are well within their right to demand their father’s release, but badmouthing Pakistan is not something Imran himself would even endorse,” another user remarked, warning that the move could push conservative voters into believing Khan was a foreign agent.
Several users questioned the human rights framing altogether. “When someone is punished for his crimes established through a legal process, it’s not labelled as human rights abuse,” one user shot back.
Others brought up the May 9 attacks. “Shameful act by Imran Khan’s sons, but what can you expect from the sons of a politician whose supporters attacked military installations, something even India could never do,” a user wrote.
Some were blunt about where they placed the brothers in the broader geopolitical picture. “Ever noticed who is against Pakistan these days? India, Israel and PTI,” one comment read.
Others questioned whether the appearance was really about their father at all. “Every time I see them, they want to seek permission from the government. Why don’t they just come and meet him? The reason is simple — media attention and popularity,” a user wrote.
