UK Parliamentarians demand the immediate release of Imran Khan
The UK Parliament held a hearing today about the erosion of democratic norms in Pakistan and the illegal incarceration of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The hearing was jointly convened by Labour MP for Bradford West Naz Shah, and Conservative Peer, Lord Hannan of Kingsclere. Advisor to Imran Khan, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, and PTI candidate at the 2024 Pakistani general election, Meher Bano Qureshi, were guest speakers, as was Sarwar Bari, founder of Pattan Development.
This hearing was attended by over 20 parliamentarians, from all major parties, including the former Leader of the Conservative Party and Cabinet Minister, Rt. Hon. Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, the former Home Secretary Rt. Hon. Priti Patel MP, and former Security Minister, Rt. Hon. Baroness Neville-Jones, former Minister of State in the Foreign Office Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, and former Conservative Party Chairwoman and Foreign Office Minister Rt. Hon. Baroness Warsi.
The hearing resolved that parliamentarians will call on the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Sir Keir Starmer MP and the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Rt. Hon. David Lammy MP, for the UK government to take note of the recent UN report into former Prime Minister Imran Khan's incarceration, demand the immediate release from prison of Imran Khan, and the return of democracy to Pakistan.
Quotes attributable to Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari;
“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.”
Quotes attributable to Meher Bano Qureshi;
“It has been disappointing the eerie silence from Western democracies, we would have 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.”
Quotes attributable to Lord Hannan of Kingsclere;
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.
Quotes attributable to Naz Shah MP;
Important dialogue was held in parliament today in relation to democracy in Pakistan. As somebody with a large Pakistani constituency and as an MP of Pakistani heritage, I want to see Pakistan succeed; particularly democracy in Pakistan, as well as freedom of the press, and justice.
The UN report into the incarceration of Imran Khan should be of great concern to all of us. We cannot shy away from it and we must continue to work across parliament to ensure progress is made for Pakistan.