Imran Khan's son, Kasim Khan, has called on the United Nations to intervene in Pakistan, alleging that the former prime minister is being subjected to 'torture' in prison. Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council, Kasim Khan said his father has been held for nearly 1,000 days in solitary confinement, in a cell meant for death row inmates.
Kasim Khan described a 'systematic campaign to dehumanise and silence' political opponents in Pakistan, with his father as the primary target. He said he has not seen his father in over three years, calling it 'deliberate persecution'. He urged the council to press Pakistan to release Imran Khan and all political prisoners.
The speech, delivered at an event examining Pakistan's GSP+ trade status with the EU, has sparked a political row. Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif criticised Kasim Khan and his brother for allegedly lobbying to revoke the GSP+ status, which gives Pakistan preferential access to EU markets. Kasim Khan later clarified he supports the scheme but insists the regime must comply with international treaties.
Imran Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, serving sentences for corruption and leaking state secrets, which he claims are politically motivated. His health has deteriorated, with recent vision loss in one eye. His wife Bushra Bibi is also imprisoned. The EU is monitoring Pakistan's compliance with human rights conventions linked to the GSP+ scheme, which runs until 2027.
