Islamabad [Pakistan], November 3: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Saturday condemned the detention of its founding leader Imran Khan and said that his detention by the authoritarian military regime, under General Asim Munir, violates the United Nations’ Nelson Mandela rules.
Notably, Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023 by Pakistani Rangers led to widespread protests across Pakistan. He was arrested from the Islamabad High Court premises as part of the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) investigation in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The party shared a post on X and cited the UN Report on Imran Khan, released in June 2024, which stated that Khan’s detention is arbitrary and falls within categories I, II, and III. The party further said that the UN report concludes that Khan’s detention had no legal basis and was intended to disqualify him from running for political office.
Sharing a post on X, the party wrote, “2 November 2024: Imran Khan remains arbitrarily detained for 455 days. The authoritarian military regime, under General Asim Munir, has kept Imran Khan illegally incarcerated under conditions which violate United Nations, Nelson Mandela rules: incommunicado, solitary confinement in a cage, no electricity, no sunlight, suspect food, no medical aid, no basic facilities.”
It added further, “The #UNReportOnImranKhan released in June 2024 states — The deprivation of liberty of Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi… is arbitrary and falls within categories I, II, and III; The Working Group concludes that his detention had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running from political office; Government of Pakistan to take the steps necessary to remedy the situation of Mr. Khan without delay and bring it into conformity with the relevant international norms… appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Khan immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.”
The party in its post further cited the Amnesty International report and said that the report also condemned Khan’s detention, noting “severe fair trial violations under international human rights standards.” The organisation also observed a pattern of “weaponisation of the legal system” to keep Khan detained and away from political activities, the party said.
“Amnesty International’s statement on 11 September 2024 — A year on from Imran Khan’s conviction and sentencing, Amnesty International has found several fair trial violations under international human rights standards which have resulted in his arbitrary detention, denying his right to liberty. We have noted a pattern of weaponisation of the legal system to keep Imran Khan under detention and away from all political activity. Amnesty International calls on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release Imran Khan from arbitrary pre-trial detention,” the PTI said on X.