London, October 27,2024- A group of 20 British parliamentarians from multiple political parties has urged UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to advocate for the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Adiala Jail. Led by MP Kim Johnson, the letter, written at the request of Khan’s advisor Zulfi Bukhari, expresses deep concern over Khan’s detention, which the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention previously deemed baseless and politically motivated.
The parliamentarians warn that Khan’s detention undermines democracy in Pakistan and may escalate if tried in a military court. Amnesty International has also highlighted legal system abuses aimed at preventing Khan’s political participation. The letter criticizes recent constitutional amendments transferring judicial powers away from the Supreme Court and a Public Order Act invoked to detain PTI supporters. The MPs call for Lammy to pressure Pakistan’s government to uphold democracy and secure Khan’s release.
