July 2nd 2024.
The recent news surrounding former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has caused quite a stir, as a UN group has demanded his immediate release from jail. According to the group, at least two of the cases against Khan were "politically motivated" and were designed to remove him from the country's political landscape. This opinion was reached during the 99th session of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which took place in Geneva from March 18-27.
The UN body stated that Khan's detention and prosecution in the first Toshakhana corruption case and cipher case were not based on any legal grounds and were instead used to prevent him from competing in the political arena. They also noted that the arrest and imprisonment of the 71-year-old founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was "without legal basis," as reported by the Dawn newspaper. The first Toshakhana case alleges that Khan failed to disclose gifts he received while serving as prime minister, while the second case claims that he kept a jewelry set given to him by the Saudi crown prince at an undervalued price.
The UN group highlighted several flaws and irregularities in the legal proceedings against Khan, ultimately concluding that his detention was arbitrary. In August 2023, a trial court in Islamabad convicted him in the first case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan and he was subsequently arrested by Punjab police from his residence in Lahore. The ECP went on to disqualify Khan for five years, but his sentence was later suspended by the Islamabad High Court.
The UN working group based their opinion on evidence provided by a source, which detailed the illegality of the prosecution in the first Toshakhana case and the political repression faced by Khan and his party. They stated that the prosecution was used as a means to disqualify him from running for office and that his arrest was conducted in a violent and unlawful manner.
The group also found that the prosecution in the cipher case had no legal basis, as Khan's actions did not violate the Official Secrets Act, according to the unrebutted submissions of the intelligence services. This case involves a diplomatic document that the Federal Investigation Agency claims was never returned by Khan, who believed it contained a threat from the US to overthrow his government.
The timing of the four prosecutions against Khan, which prevented him from participating in the 2023 general election, was also noted by the working group. They concluded that these legal actions were politically motivated and were used to silence him and his supporters. In their opinion, the group urged the government to release Khan immediately and to provide him with compensation and other reparations in accordance with international law.
The UN working group also called for a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Khan's arrest and detention, as well as appropriate measures against those responsible for violating his rights. They emphasized that his deprivation of liberty was arbitrary and urged the government to take immediate action to remedy the situation.
This news has caused quite a stir, with many people reacting to the UN working group's opinion. It remains to be seen how the government will respond and if they will take the necessary steps to release Khan and address the violations of his rights.
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