Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, has called on the UK government to intervene over former PM’s prolonged isolation and alleged denial of basic rights in prison.
Addressing UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in a post on X, Jemima asked how much longer Britain would remain silent over Khan’s situation.
“For three years, the father of my two sons, and Pakistan’s former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has been brutally penalised by his political opponents,” she said.
Jemima alleged that Khan, 73, has spent three years in solitary confinement and that his family has been unable to communicate with him for nearly 10 months. She further claimed that he has been denied regular access to books, lawyers, doctors and basic human interaction.
Khan’s family and PTI have repeatedly expressed concern over his health. Last week, the Supreme Court ordered that he be moved from Adiala jail to a private hospital for treatment.
Authorities, however, initially transferred him to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), citing security concerns arising from a gathering outside the facility, before returning him to Adiala jail after a medical board declared him fit for continued detention there.
Referring to international standards, Jemima said the UN’s Nelson Mandela Rules prohibit solitary confinement extending beyond 15 consecutive days, describing prolonged isolation as a form of torture. She argued that Khan’s alleged isolation had continued for years rather than weeks.
She also pointed to the Supreme Court’s recent directives requiring comprehensive medical care, access to Khan’s personal physician, regular meetings with family members and twice-weekly telephone contact with his sons, Kasim and Suleiman.
“Yet those orders are being defied,” she claimed, arguing that the matter had moved beyond domestic politics and had become a human-rights issue.
Jemima also highlighted Khan’s longstanding connections with Britain. She noted that he studied at Oxford University, led its cricket team and played county cricket in England for several years.
She further cited his charitable work in Pakistan, including the establishment of a free cancer hospital and a university, as evidence of his longstanding public and international ties.
According to Jemima, she has repeatedly urged the British government to take action over Khan’s treatment.
She urged UK to make a clear public statement and press Pakistan to implement the Supreme Court’s orders, restore Khan’s access to medical care and family members, end his alleged prolonged isolation and ensure his fundamental rights are respected.
