Islamabad - During the hearing on Pakistan in the Committee Room of the House of Lords of the British Parliament on Tuesday, the release of Imran Khan was demanded, in which more than 22 members participated... Imran Khan is currently imprisoned in Adiala jail along with his wife Bushra Bibi.
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Members of the House of Lords discussed the erosion of democratic principles within Pakistan and the illegal imprisonment of Imran Khan.
It was attended by more than 22 MPs belonging to all the major political parties of Great Britain. The meeting was jointly organized by Naz Shah, Labor MP for Bradford West, and Lord Hannon of Kingsclear from the Conservative Party.
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MPs urged British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to address the recent UN report on Imran Khan's imprisonment.
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They should demand their immediate release and advocate for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
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Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, recently appointed as Imran Khan's International Affairs Advisor, and PTI's candidate for the 2024 Pakistani general elections, Meher Bano Qureshi, were among the guest speakers during the hearing.
What did the participants say?
On this occasion, Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari mentioned the events after the ouster of Imran Khan in April 2022 and alleged that there was massive rigging in the February 8 elections. He feared that Khan might face trial in military courts.
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Bukhari said Pakistanis deserve the right to self-determination.
The current regime is illegitimate and the world needs to be made aware of the atrocities committed against freedom and democracy in the last two years. Bukhari claimed that hundreds of PTI workers are still abducted and missing.
Meher Bano Qureshi detailed the challenges faced by PTI candidates in the general elections and criticized the silence of Western democracies on the political situation in Pakistan.
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He said: “It is disappointing to see the appalling silence of Western democracies. All we are talking about is being free to choose our political party, contest elections, and be free to count our votes.”
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He added that his father, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was being punished for supporting Imran Khan.
He described the entire case as a means of intimidation and coercion.
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Lord Hanan of Kingsclear emphasized the need to implement the UN recommendations, including ending Imran Khan's detention and setting a timetable for free and inclusive elections. He said that as a friend of Pakistan and its democracy, we want to see the country prosper.
Naz Shah clarified that the hearing was a pro-Pakistan event and regretted that some people had termed it as anti-Pakistan.
He asserted that his constituency has a large number of Pakistanis As a member of parliament of Pakistani origin, I want to see Pakistan succeed, especially in terms of democracy, freedom of the press, and justice.
We should all be concerned about the UN report on Imran Khan's imprisonment.
She reiterated her commitment to media freedom and human rights and said that regardless of who is in power in Pakistan, I have always advocated for these issues.
