Jemima Khan has spoken up again. This time, she wants the UK government to act. Her ex-husband, Imran Khan, is still in jail in Pakistan. She says his health is getting worse. She wants UK leaders to help before it is too late.
This story has caught attention across the UK and Pakistan. It is not just a family matter anymore. It has become a topic inside the British Parliament too.
What Is The News
Imran Khan is the former Prime Minister of Pakistan. He has been in Adiala Jail since August 2023. He is facing several legal cases. His supporters say the cases are political. The government denies this.
Jemima Khan, his first wife, lives in London. She shares two sons with him, Sulaiman and Kasim. She has now made a public appeal. She wants UK leaders, including government ministers, to press Pakistan on her ex-husband’s case. Her request is simple. She wants his health checked properly. She wants his family allowed to visit him. And she wants basic rights respected.
Jemima has raised these points before too. But this recent push feels more urgent. Reports say Imran Khan’s health has declined. He has reportedly spent long periods in solitary confinement. His family says the isolation has affected him badly.
Why This Matters To The UK
Jemima’s brother, Zac Goldsmith, is a member of the House of Lords. He is a former UK government minister as well. He has called the situation “an international outrage.” He raised the matter directly in Parliament.
During a Lords debate, peers from different parties spoke about Imran Khan’s case. They asked the UK Foreign Office what steps had been taken. A minister replied that Pakistan’s court system is its own matter. But she also said the UK has clearly told Pakistani officials that human rights must be respected.
This is not an easy topic for governments. Pakistan is a Commonwealth country. It also receives UK aid. Some Lords members have asked whether that aid should depend on how Pakistan treats prisoners like Imran Khan. This question is still open. No final decision has been made public yet.
The Sons Speak Up Too
It is not only Jemima who has raised her voice. Her sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, have also spoken publicly. They said they had not seen their father in person since late 2022. That was after an assassination attempt on him.
The sons applied for visas in January to travel to Pakistan. Officials said the process usually takes about a week or two. But their application stayed pending for months. Jemima pointed this out directly on social media. She tagged Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and asked for a simple solution: let the sons visit their father.
Kasim also spoke at the United Nations Human Rights Council. He asked the global body to press Pakistan for his father’s release. This shows the family is now trying every possible route, not just the UK government.
There was one small moment of relief. On the Eid holiday, Imran Khan was allowed a short phone call with his sons. It lasted around 25 to 30 minutes. He reportedly sounded happy to hear their voices. But one call does not solve the bigger problem his family says he faces.
Pakistan’s Response
Pakistani officials have pushed back on some claims. A government minister said Imran Khan’s sons do not actually need visas to visit their father. Jemima responded that the delay itself proves otherwise. She said the government may be avoiding giving quick approval on purpose.
PTI leaders, Imran Khan’s political party, have said he remains in reasonably good health. One senior party leader said doctors were finally given access to check on him. He said Khan had also been doing light exercise in jail.
So there are two different pictures here. Jemima and the family describe serious health worries. PTI officials give a more reassuring account. The truth likely sits somewhere between these two versions, and outside observers cannot verify everything happening inside the jail.
Wider Political Pressure Building
This case has slowly grown bigger than one family’s appeal. Rights groups have also raised concerns about Imran Khan’s prison conditions. A United Nations special rapporteur on torture publicly urged Pakistan to review how he is being held. Pakistan’s government has denied any mistreatment.
In August 2026, Imran Khan completed three years behind bars. Thousands of his supporters held protests across Pakistan to mark the moment. They demanded his immediate release. Security was tight during these demonstrations.
Meanwhile, in London, the debate inside UK Parliament continues. Some lawmakers want stronger diplomatic pressure. Others believe judicial matters should stay separate from foreign policy. This disagreement is likely to continue for a while.
For readers who want the full official record, the UK Parliament’s Hansard transcript covers the full House of Lords debate on this topic. The House of Lords Library briefing gives useful background on his rights and welfare in custody. And Al Jazeera’s coverage of the three-year mark in prison explains the wider protests happening in Pakistan.
Jemima Khan’s message, at its core, remains one simple request. She wants her sons to see their father. She wants his health checked by doctors he trusts. And she wants UK leaders to keep asking Pakistan tough questions until answers come.
Whether this pressure leads to real change is still unclear. But the story shows how a personal family struggle can turn into an international political discussion, one appeal, one parliamentary debate, and one protest at a time.
FAQs
1. Why is Imran Khan in jail?
He was convicted in corruption-related cases after being removed as Prime Minister in 2022. He also faces several other legal cases, which his supporters call politically motivated.
2. What exactly did Jemima Khan ask UK leaders to do?
She asked them to press Pakistan on her ex-husband’s health, prison conditions, and to help ensure their sons get visa approval to visit him.
3. Have Imran Khan’s sons met him recently?
Not in person since late 2022. They did get a short phone call with him on Eid, lasting around 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Is the UK government planning to cut aid to Pakistan over this?
No final decision has been announced. Some Lords members have raised the idea, but the Foreign Office has not confirmed any change in aid policy.
