UK MPs demand immediate release of Imran Khan, cite erosion of democracy in Pakistan

Call to action emerged during a hearing in the House of Lords Committee Room, attended by over 22 members

Nearly two dozen members of the UK Parliament on Tuesday called for the immediate release of former prime minister Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail along with his wife, Bushra Bibi. 

This call to action emerged during a hearing in the House of Lords Committee Room, addressing the erosion of democratic norms in Pakistan and the "illegal incarceration" of Khan. 

The hearing drew over 22 parliamentarians from major political parties. The session was jointly organised by Labour MP Naz Shah from Bradford West and Conservative Peer Lord Hannan of Kingsclere.

The parliamentarians resolved to urge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to heed the recent United Nations report on Khan’s incarceration, demand his immediate release, and advocate for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, recently appointed as Imran Khan’s International Affairs Adviser, and Meher Bano Qureshi, a PTI candidate for the 2024 Pakistani general election, were among the guest speakers. Sarwar Bari, the founder of Pattan Development, also addressed the gathering.

Bukhari recounted the events following Khan's ousting in April 2022. He alleged that the February 8 elections were massively rigged and expressed fears that Khan might face trial in military courts. 

"Pakistanis deserve the right to self-determination. The current government is illegitimate, and the world needs to be aware of the atrocities committed against freedom and democracy over the past two years," Bukhari stated.

He also mentioned that PTI’s former social media lead, Azhar Mashwani, was supposed to attend the meeting as a "victim" of state repression but was threatened with the abduction of his remaining family members if he participated. Bukhari claimed that hundreds of PTI workers remain abducted and missing.

Qureshi detailed the challenges faced by PTI candidates in the general elections. She criticised the Western democracies' silence on Pakistan’s political situation. 

"It has been disappointing to see the eerie silence from Western democracies. We all just want to be free—to choose our political party, contest elections, and have our votes counted," she said. 

She added that her father, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former foreign minister, was being punished for supporting Imran Khan, and described the whole cipher case as a means to intimidate and coerce them.

Lord Hannan of Kingsclere emphasised the need for implementing the UN's recommendations, including ending Khan’s detention and setting a timetable for free and inclusive elections. "As friends of Pakistan and its democracy, we want to see the country prosper," he remarked.

Naz Shah clarified that the hearing was a "pro-Pakistan" event and regretted that some had labeled it as anti-Pakistan. 

"As someone with a large Pakistani constituency and as an MP of Pakistani heritage, I want to see Pakistan succeed, particularly in terms of democracy, press freedom, and justice. The UN report on Imran Khan's incarceration should concern us all," she asserted.

She reiterated her commitment to media freedom and human rights, stressing that she has always advocated for these issues regardless of who was in power in Pakistan.