logo
Who is Jemima Goldsmith and why is she fiercely defending jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan? What about Sulaiman and Kasim who...

Who is Jemima Goldsmith and why is she fiercely defending jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan? What about Sulaiman and Kasim who...

India.com11-07-2025
New Delhi: Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has been a highly successful cricketer who led his country to numerous high-profile victories on the cricket. He retired from international cricket at the end of the 1987 Cricket World Cup but was asked by none other than the country's President, General Zia-ul-Haq to come back and lead the team. Five years later in 1992, he led his team to their first and only world cup triumph. During his playing days he had been subjected to severe scrutiny concerning his Western lifestyle and huge popularity among women from across the continents.
In an orthodox Pakistan it was not seen very kindly and the chorus for him to get married and settle down got momentum. Who is Jemima Goldsmith?
Imran Khan finally got married to British national Jemima Goldsmith on 16 May 1995, in a Nikah ceremony in Paris. A few months before the wedding, Jemima converted to Islam and changed her name to Haiqa and after her marriage, relocated to his hometown, Lahore, Pakistan, where she learned to speak Urdu and also wore traditional Pakistani clothes.
It was very difficult for Jemima/Haiqa to adjust to the ultra-conservative Pakistani society especially when her husband Imran Khan entered politics as he founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). When Jemima moved back to England
The couple have two sons, Sulaiman Isa (born 18 November 1996) and Kasim (born 10 April 1999). During the marriage Jemima actively participated in the charity drive for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre and also supported her Khan in starting his initial political career.
But it was not to be a happy union as she could not withstand the restrictions and cultural boundaries. They got divorced in 2004. Still the two are in touch and ever since Imran Khan was toppled from the post of the prime minister and jailed, Jemima has voiced her concern without any inhibition.
Jemima has not remarried! What is the threat to Sulaiman and Kasim, their sons?
Jemima is very much worried about her ex-husband and has made no bones about it. The former wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan, has strongly condemned the Pakistani government after a top official threatened to arrest their sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, if they visit their father in prison.
'My children are not allowed to speak on the phone to their father Imran Khan. He has been in solitary confinement in prison for nearly two years. Pakistan's government has now said if they go there to try to see him, they too will be arrested and put behind bars. This doesn't happen in a democracy or a functioning state. This isn't politics. It's a personal vendetta,' Jemima posted on X. What did Pakistan govt say about Imran Khan's sons?
'If Imran Khan's sons come to Pakistan and join the movement, they will be arrested,' said Rana Sanaullah, the Prime Minister's Advisor on Political Affairs during a private TV interview.
Outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Imran Khan's sister Aleema revealed that Kasim and Suleiman, both based in the United Kingdom, plan to visit the United States to raise awareness about their father's condition before traveling to Pakistan to support PTI's political campaign.
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces multiple charges, including corruption and terrorism, after being ousted from power through a no-confidence vote in April 2022.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Operation Sindoor: India targeted terror networks, says govt; denies foreign pressure behind ceasefire
Operation Sindoor: India targeted terror networks, says govt; denies foreign pressure behind ceasefire

First Post

time16 minutes ago

  • First Post

Operation Sindoor: India targeted terror networks, says govt; denies foreign pressure behind ceasefire

Operation Sindoor was launched in response to a 'barbaric' attack by 'Pakistansponsored terrorists', and the action focussed on dismantling terror infrastructure and neutralising terrorists likely to be sent across to India, the government said on Thursday. read more The central government on Thursday said that Operation Sindoor was launched in response to a 'barbaric' cross-border attack by terrorists backed by Pakistan, with a focused aim to destroy terror infrastructure and eliminate terrorists poised to infiltrate into India. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the operation was 'focussed, measured and non-escalatory'. Responding to a question on whether Operation Sindoor was initiated due to international pressure, the minister clarified that the action was prompted by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, and not due to any external compulsion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman also asked about the impact of 'sudden announcement of ceasefire in Operation Sindoor' on the morale of the Indian forces which were 'achieving significant success', but suddenly 'declaring ceasefire was against their morale and the sentiments of the people of the country'. Union minister Singh said Operation Sindoor was launched to respond to a 'barbaric cross-border terror attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. It focussed on dismantling terrorist infrastructure and neutralising terrorists likely to be sent across to India'. Pakistan, however, attempted targeting Indian civilian areas, in addition to some military facilities, he said. 'These provocations and escalatory actions by Pakistan were met with a strong and decisive response from the Indian armed forces, inflicting significant damage on the Pakistani military. Subsequently, on 10 May, 2025, the Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan approached his Indian counterpart to request for cessation of firing and military activities, which was agreed to later that day,' the MoS said. Under Operation Sindoor, India had decimated nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7 in pre-dawn precision strikes. It was carried out to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike. In a separate query, the MEA was also asked whether the ministry had taken efforts to 'alienate' Pakistan on world forum. As part of the UN Security Council's routine annual process, the Chairs and Vice- Chairs of its subsidiary bodies and committees are selected from amongst its permanent and elected non-permanent members. In addition to Russia and France, Pakistan has been selected as one of the Vice-Chairs of the UN Counter Terrorism Committee for 2025, Singh said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It may be noted that India was the Chair of the UN Counter Terrorism Committee in 2022. Similarly, India was also the Chair of the same committee during its 2011-12 term, the MoS added. 'The Government of India has been sensitising all concerned interlocutors on the menace of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Due to India's persistent efforts, the global community has a greater understanding of India's concerns on cross-border terrorism,' he said. India's efforts over the years have led to listing of several Pakistan-based terrorists and terrorist entities under the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee and the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) 'grey listing of Pakistan', the minister said. The UNSC press statement in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack also 'strongly condemned' the terror attack and acknowledged the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, sponsors and financiers of the attack accountable, he said. Several world leaders have recognised and supported India's actions to combat terrorism following the Pahalgam attack. Most recently, the US has designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a separate query, the MEA was asked whether the government has 'formally raised concerns' with the US regarding continued military aid and arms supplies to Pakistan, which could be 'misused against India'; and whether India has taken 'diplomatic steps' to counter 'growing China–Pakistan military cooperation, particularly in PoK'. Singh in his written response said the government of India 'closely monitors' all military and security-related developments in its neighbourhood and regularly takes up 'our concerns in this regard in interactions with our partners at appropriate levels'. 'India has consistently conveyed its concerns in this regard to the United States, with a view to ensuring that these developments do not compromise India's security or regional stability,' he said. It has been India's consistent and principled position that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh 'are, have been, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India'. The government closely monitors all developments that have a bearing on India's national interest and takes timely and necessary steps to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security interests, the MoS said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Counter-terrorism remains a vital pillar of the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership. India and the United States maintain a robust institutional framework for cooperation, including a dedicated Counter-Terrorism Dialogue mechanism that meets regularly. 'Both sides collaborate closely on terrorist designations at domestic and international forums, and extend mutual legal assistance, including on extradition matters,' he added. With inputs from agencies

PM Modi concludes UK visit with historic FTA, departs for Maldives for second leg of foreign trip
PM Modi concludes UK visit with historic FTA, departs for Maldives for second leg of foreign trip

First Post

time16 minutes ago

  • First Post

PM Modi concludes UK visit with historic FTA, departs for Maldives for second leg of foreign trip

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Maldives after concluding his two-day official visit to the UK on Thursday after signing off a historic bilateral Free Trade Agreement. read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday departed for Malé (Maldives) for a two-day state visit, the second leg of his ongoing foreign tour after concluding his two-day official visit to the UK on Thursday after signing off a historic bilateral Free Trade Agreement. This will be Modi's third visit to the island nation and the first by any head of state or government since President Mohamed Muizzu took office. The visit comes at the invitation of President Muizzu and is expected to reaffirm bilateral ties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | London, UK: PM Narendra Modi emplanes for Malé, Maldives for the second leg of his visit. He will undertake a State Visit to Maldives from July 25–26 at the invitation of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu. This will be his third visit to the island nation and the… — ANI (@ANI) July 24, 2025 Modi was hosted by his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer, at Chequers – the official country residence of the British Prime Minister – for an intense session of talks that also covered regional and global issues of mutual interest. 'Concluding a very important UK visit. The outcomes of this visit will benefit our future generations and contribute to shared growth and prosperity. Gratitude to the PM Keir Starmer, the UK government and people for their warmth,' Modi said in a statement on social media. He leaves for the Maldives for the second leg of his two-nation tour, soon after an audience with King Charles III at his Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, eastern England. He presented the British monarch with a Sonoma dove tree, or handkerchief tree to be planted at the royal estate in the Autumn as part of his environmental initiative 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The leaders celebrated the landmark UK-India Free Trade Agreement, which was signed today and will see growth in every part of the country – delivering on the government's Plan for Change,' 10 Downing Street said in a readout of the prime ministerial engagement at Chequers. 'The leaders also discussed the importance of the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which will see closer collaboration on trade, defence, security, technology and education – underscored by the close and historic relationship between the two countries,' the statement said. 'The leaders also discussed the Air India plane crash last month, and said their sympathies are with all the families and loved ones of the victims. The Prime Minister said the UK will continue to support all those affected by the tragedy,' it added. Modi has extended an invitation to Starmer to visit India, which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said has been accepted and officials will now be working out the details. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Downing Street noted that both leaders 'looked forward to seeing one another soon'. With inputs from agencies

'UK is back on world stage': Keir Starmer after trade deal with India
'UK is back on world stage': Keir Starmer after trade deal with India

Business Standard

time16 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

'UK is back on world stage': Keir Starmer after trade deal with India

The trade deal comes at a time when US President Donald Trump's tariff policies continue to disrupt global trade Bloomberg The UK has restored its international standing after years of 'performative' politics under successive Conservative governments, Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview after sealing a long-sought trade deal with India on Thursday. The trade deal — the biggest struck by Britain since Brexit — will cut the vast majority of India's tariff lines for the UK, helping exports from Scotch whisky to cars. But speaking at his Chequers country retreat after meeting with Indian Premier Narendra Modi, Starmer said the agreement didn't mark the limit of the UK's ambition, and would provide a baseline of cooperation to build on for the two countries. 'We have re-established the place and position of the UK on the world stage,' Starmer told Bloomberg in his only interview with a major publication to mark crystallisation of the pact, referring also to increased cooperation with the European Union and a trade pact with the US. Now, 'we're seen as a country which other countries want to be working with and delivering with.' The deal signed earlier Thursday by the Indian and British trade ministers eliminated or reduced a swath of tariffs and lifted other barriers to commerce. The pact came after three years of intense negotiations touching on thorny topics such as visas, and tax breaks. The two nations concluded talks in May, completing Britain's biggest trade deal since Brexit and India's most significant such agreement to date. 'This isn't merely paving the way for economic partnership but is also a blueprint for our shared prosperity,' Modi said earlier Thursday, speaking alongside Starmer at Chequers. In an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday evening, Modi's trade minister, Piyush Goyal, said the deal will 'open the doors for more robust and resilient supply chains,' as well as encouraging 'greater investments because of the stable and predictable business environment.' 'It's a win win for both UK and India,' he said. A separate bilateral investment treaty is still being negotiated between the UK and India, which could include more controversial elements such as a provision which allows investors to sue either government if they believe a policy change has unfairly affected their profits. 'I do hope we will get that also across the hump soon,' Goyal said of the treaty, declining to discuss the sticking points. The trade deal comes at a time when US President Donald Trump's tariff policies continue to disrupt global trade, and Starmer told Bloomberg that it marked 'a real statement of intent as to how close we want our two countries to be as we go forward in an uncertain world.' He added that he and Modi had already begun to discuss which areas they could build on. Starmer, whose Labour Party was elected to power a year ago, also made a jibe at his Tory predecessors Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak — both of whom set and missed their own deadlines for agreeing a deal with India, with the former famously promising one by Diwali 2022. 'Serious, pragmatic, respectful diplomacy trumps performative politics any day of the week,' Starmer said. He added that the 'quiet, serious, pragmatic, respectful way' in which he had asked officials to proceed 'achieved results compared with the noisy performance of my predecessors.' Starmer and Modi earlier attended a showcase of businesses who hoped to benefit from the trade deal. Representatives from firms including the supermarket chain Sainsbury's and family-run Spice Kitchen staffed stands under a marquee in the Chequers rose garden, and said they were excited about the opportunities for further cooperation between the UK and India. 'We import a lot from India,' said Spice Kitchen's Sanjay Aggarwal, who runs the business with his mother Shashi. 'Hopefully some of our costs will come down.' Starmer had said he 'loves to cook and loves Indian food,' Aggarwal added. For Modi, the deal reinforces his push to position India as a viable alternative for global supply chains looking to diversify. The pact — India's first major one in a decade — signals that the South Asian nation is willing to lower its barriers to attract investments as it negotiates a bilateral trade deal with the US. It will also act as a springboard for India's ongoing talks with European Union. For Starmer, the deal will be a welcome step toward his goal of boosting economic growth in the UK. While it is expected to add £4.8 billion ($6.5 billion) to the UK's annual economic output — a tiny increase to the size of the economy — Starmer's Labour government hopes successive incremental wins will help encourage investment and turn around lackluster business sentiment. With Trump due to arrive in Scotland on Friday for a personal visit during which he'll meet with Starmer, the signing comes as Britain works to flesh out the trade pact it agreed with the US. Meanwhile the New Delhi administration is racing to clinch a deal with Washington before Aug. 1, when higher tariffs are due to kick in. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store