UK parliamentarians demand Imran’s immediate release

LONDON: Nearly two dozen members of British parliament Tuesday called for immediate release of the PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi.

The demand for the former ruling couple’s release was made during a hearing in the House of Lord’s Committee Room about erosion of democratic norms in Pakistan and Imran’s alleged illegal incarceration.

The hearing was jointly convened by the Labour MP for Bradford West Naz Shah, and Conservative Peer Lord Hannan of Kingsclere. Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari and Meher Bano Qureshi were the guest speakers.

The hearing was attended by over 22 parliamentarians from all major parties, including former leader of the Conservative Party and Cabinet Minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, former home secretary Priti Patel MP, former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones, former minister of state in the Foreign Office Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and former Conservative Party chairwoman and Foreign Office minister Baroness Warsi.

Newly elected independent MPs Shockat Adam, Barrister Ayoub Khan, Iqbal Mohammad and Labour’s Naushabah Khan were also in attendance.

PTI UK’s leader Jahanzeb Khan was also in attendance as well as four other office-bearers.

The hearing resolved that the parliamentarians will call on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy to take note of the recent United Nations report on Imran Khan’s incarceration, demand his immediate release and return of democracy.

Bukhari spoke for ten minutes and gave a rundown of what has happened since the removal of Khan from power in April 2022. He alleged that February elections were massively rigged and that there were fears Khan may be tried in the military court.

He said, “Pakistanis deserve the right to self-determination. The current government of Pakistan is illegitimate and the world needs to be aware of the atrocities committed by the government of Pakistan against freedom and democracy over the past two years. I welcome that leading parliamentarians from the UK are now calling for the return of democratic norms in Pakistan.”

He told the meeting that PTI’s former social media leader Azhar Mashwani was also set to attend the meeting as a “victim” of the state but he received a call from his abducted brother’s phone, warning him that his other family members would also be taken away if he joined the meeting. He alleged that hundreds of PTI workers remain abducted and missing.

Meher Bano Qureshi spoke for nearly 17 minutes, narrating the difficulties she and PTI candidates faced in the general elections. She said, “The eerie silence from Western democracies has been disappointing. We expected they would stand up for democracy in Pakistan. It is wonderful to have these platitudes about being resilient and brave. I don’t want to be resilient or brave, nor do the people of Pakistan; we all just want to be free. Free to choose what political party we support, free to choose what political party we contest the elections from, and free to our representatives. We want our voices to be heard and our votes to be counted.”

Lord Hannan of Kingsclere said, “As friends of Pakistan and friends of Pakistani democracy, we want to see that country prosper. We want to see the UN’s recommendations implemented, including an end to the detention of Imran Khan and a timetable for free and inclusive elections. We will continue to press for democracy on a cross-party basis, and in both parliamentary chambers. And we will link up with parliamentarians in other friendly countries to make the case internationally.”

Naz Shah MP said the hearing on Pakistan was a “pro-Pakistan” event. She regretted that some people had called it “an event against Pakistan”. Naz said she decided to get involved in the event to become the voice of a significant section of Pakistanis who want Imran Khan’s release and end to all kinds of political incriminations. Naz Shah said she always spoke for media freedoms and human rights. “I did so under Imran Khan’s government. I have always spoken for Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir and Gaza and I will continue doing that.”