A United Nations human rights working group has called for the immediate release of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, citing his detention as arbitrary and in violation of international laws. Imran Khan, 71, has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces numerous convictions ahead of the February general elections.The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention examined Imran Khans case, in which he was convicted on corruption charges, and concluded that his detention lacked legal basis. They described his imprisonment as part of a much larger campaign of repression targeting the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) generally and Imran Khan specifically. The group asserted that his detention was intended to disqualify him from running for office and that he was denied a fair trial and due process.In the lead-up to Pakistans February 2024 general elections, PTI candidates were arrested, tortured, and intimidated into leaving the party PTI rallies were disrupted and blocked and the party was deprived of its iconic cricket bat symbol, forcing its candidates to run as independents, the group reported. Imran Khan is currently facing over 150 politically motivated criminal cases, with three major convictions occurring just days before the election.PTIs Response to UN FindingsImran Khans party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), welcomed the findings and demands of the UN working group. Zulfi Bukhari, a spokesman for Imran Khan, expressed approval of the groups call for his immediate release. The PTI reiterated its demand for the former Prime Ministers urgent release, denouncing his detention as a tactic to suppress political opposition.Imran Khan has been imprisoned since a court sentenced him to a three-year prison term in August 2023 for hiding assets after selling state gifts. This conviction led to his ban from participating in politics and contesting the February 8 elections. Despite this ban and a military-backed crackdown, the PTI won the most seats in the February 8 vote but did not secure a majority to form a government.Election Irregularities and International ConcernThe PTI has labeled the election as rigged, an allegation supported by the Geneva-based UN working group. The group highlighted the arrests and alleged custodial torture of various PTI leaders, as well as restrictions on election rallies in the lead-up to the polls. They also pointed to widespread fraud on election day, claiming that dozens of parliamentary seats were stolen.The cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan rose to power in 2018 but was ousted in a no-confidence motion in 2022 by a united opposition, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Since his ouster, Khan has made several claims against the Army and blamed the US for his removal from office.Ongoing Legal BattlesImran Khans five-year disqualification in the Toshakhana case was suspended by the Islamabad High Court after his imprisonment. Just days before the elections, he received additional sentences: 10 years in the cypher case for leaking state secrets, 14 years in the Toshakhana corruption case, and seven years in an illegal marriage case with Bushra Bibi. Although two of these cases have been suspended, a court rejected their pleas in the illegal marriage case.Khan also faces a trial under anti-terrorism charges linked to violence in May last year. The numerous legal cases against him were initiated after his ouster, including one that disqualified him from the February election. The US, Britain, and the European Union have expressed concerns about the reported irregularities in the elections and have urged an investigation, which was criticized by the Pakistan Parliament.
