Members of the British Parliament have called for the immediate release of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned for nearly a year. The appeal was made during a hearing in the House of Lords Committee Room that addressed concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in Pakistan and the “illegal incarceration” of Khan, the PTI founding chairman.
The session, attended by at least 22 UK parliamentarians from various political parties, was organized by Labour MP Naz Shah of Bradford West and Conservative Peer Lord Hannan of Kingsclere.
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The MPs urged UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to act on a recent United Nations report regarding Khan’s detention. They called for Khan’s immediate release and emphasized the need to restore democracy in Pakistan.
This hearing underscores the increasing international scrutiny of Pakistan’s political climate and Khan’s treatment. Pakistani figures such as Zulfikar Bukhari, Meher Bano Qureshi, and Sarwar Bari were also present, with Bukhari discussing events since Khan’s removal from office in April 2022.
He raised concerns about the possibility of Khan facing trial in military courts and mentioned threats against Azhar Mashwani, the former PTI social media lead, to prevent his attendance at the meeting.
