'They can come to Pakistan today': Khawaja Asif disputes claim of Imran's sons of expired Nicops

'They can come to Pakistan today': Khawaja Asif disputes claim of Imran's sons of expired Nicops.

Key points

• News Desk Published August 30, 2026 Updated August 30, 2026 08: 30pm.
• Imran was sent to jail on August 5, 2023, in the Toshakhana case.
• In response to the appeal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar remarked that Imran's children were welcome to visit Pakistan on their Nicops.
• In December 2025, Kasim had remarked that he and his brother had applied for their visas.
• The next month, Goldsmith created a "direct appeal" to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to grant her sons visas.

News Desk Published August 30, 2026 Updated August 30, 2026 08: 30pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

According to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday, PTI founder Imran Khan's sons – Qasim and Sulaiman Khan – could visit Pakistan "today if they wished", citing the validity of their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop).

Meanwhile, the administration has consistently maintained that Imran's children can enter the country based on their Nicops with no visa required. Nevertheless, the sons maintained earlier this month that their Nicops have expired and accused the administration of denying them visas.

When the PTI founder obtained injured in an assassination attempt, in a post on social media platform X, the defence minister recalled that the ex-premier's sons had last travelled to Pakistan on their Nicops in November 2022.

"They can visit Pakistan today if they wish. Both Nicops are valid, " Asif stated.

He additionally shared partially censored Nicop numbers for both Kasim and Sulaiman, stating that the document was valid until Nov 8, 2032 for Kasim and Jan 6, 2030, for Suleman.

Notably, the minister dismissed the perception that the administration was denying them visas as "incorrect", accusing Imran's family and PTI of concocting the narrative.

"Holders of Nicops can travel to Pakistan whenever they wish. There is no need for a visa, " he maintained.

For context, a day earlier, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MOIB) had addressed the potential arrival of Imran's sons, noting that they may enter the country through their Nicops, but that access to the country may not guarantee access to prison visitation.

As Kasim and his older brother Suleiman live in London with their mother and Imran's former spouse Jemima Goldsmith, they will have to travel to Pakistan to meet Imran. This person is imprisoned at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

In December 2025, Kasim had remarked that he and his brother had applied for their visas. Nevertheless, in February, Kasim maintained that the administration was "deliberately" refusing to process his and his brother's visas.

Notably, the next month, Goldsmith created a "direct appeal" to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to grant her sons visas.

Meanwhile, Goldsmith alleged that the administration was recommending that her sons travel to Pakistan on Nicops as they would have "no British protection", expressing fear that they may be arrested on arrival.

In her statement, Goldsmith had asserted that the administration was refusing her sons' visas and held that they additionally did not have their renewed Nicops.

Imran was sent to jail on August 5, 2023, in the Toshakhana case. Nevertheless, he is additionally serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case, was convicted in another Toshakhana case in December 2025 and additionally faces pending trials in terrorism cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots.

In practice, the ex-premier's sons, along with his party and family, have been protesting against the lack of meetings and phone calls with him despite court orders for the same.

Taken together, the developments around ' They can come to Pakistan today' : Khawaja Asif disputes claim of Imran' s point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.