After Jemima's concern for Imran, Asif points to PML-N's plight under PTI

Shortly after Jemima Goldsmith, the former wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, expressed her concerns about his health amid his imprisonment at Adiala Jail, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded by highlighting the injustices experienced by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership during Khan's tenure.

On Tuesday, Jemima took to X to call for her ex-husband's immediate release, citing "serious and concerning" reports regarding his treatment in prison. She claimed that Pakistani authorities had halted all visits from Khan's family and lawyers, postponed court hearings, and prevented him from contacting his two sons since early September. 

"We urgently demand Imran Khan’s release, as well as that of his sisters and nephew, and we want his sons to be able to communicate with their father to assure them he is safe and not being mistreated," she stated in her post.

In response, Khawaja reminded Jemima of how Khan had treated former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family during his administration. "Her sons’ father has consistently received far more compassion than he ever showed his opponents," Khawaja wrote. He pointed out that Nawaz was not even allowed a phone call to speak with his dying wife and emphasized the numerous other opposition members jailed without charges at the time.

Nawaz's wife, Begum Kulsoom, passed away on September 11, 2018, at London’s Harley Street Clinic after battling cancer for several months. When she died, Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law Captain Safdar were imprisoned in Pakistan but were granted parole to attend her funeral.

Meanwhile, Jemima's concerns about Khan's health arose amid agitation from PTI members demanding access to him while he remains incarcerated in Rawalpindi. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan recently shared Khan's medical report, stating, "Khan Saab is in good health and exercised for an hour today." He confirmed that two doctors—a specialist in ENT and a medical specialist—visited Khan at Adiala Jail on Tuesday.

The report indicated that Khan was "active," with normal blood pressure and pulse. It mentioned his complaint of dyspepsia, for which he was already receiving medication, and noted no new issues regarding his ears.

Jemima, however, reported that electricity had been cut to Khan's cell and that he was now isolated in solitary confinement, with no contact with the outside world. "He is literally in the dark, with no outside contact," she stated. 

Goldsmith also shared her own struggles with being "bullied" and "harassed" into silence by PML-N supporters, whom she referred to as "goons," and mentioned experiencing threats and conspiracy theories directed at her.

The couple has two sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in London. In July, a panel of UN experts criticized Pakistan for arbitrarily detaining Khan, suggesting it was an attempt to prevent him from participating in politics. 

Khan, 72, served as prime minister from 2018 until 2022 and has faced over 200 legal cases since being ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote he claims was orchestrated by the military. He has been in detention since August last year and is barred from holding office, although he has applied to become the next chancellor of Oxford University.

Goldsmith stated that Khan's family had also been targeted, with his sisters and nephew unlawfully arrested, and she has faced threats from his political opponents. She emphasized that the release of Khan and his relatives, as well as re-establishing contact with his sons, is crucial for ensuring their well-being. 

"I disagree with IK on many political issues," she wrote. "But this is not about politics—it's about my children's father, his human rights, and international law."