Kasim Khan expressed worry about his father, Imran Khan’s, arbitrary detention at the United Nations Human Rights Council session in Geneva. He highlighted a broader pattern of repression in Pakistan since 2022, citing political prisoners’ detention, civilian trials in military courts, and journalists facing suppression. Kasim Khan emphasized Imran Khan’s solitary confinement, lack of medical care, and the alleged rigging of the 2024 general elections in Pakistan.
Kasim Khan underscored Pakistan’s commitments under the GSP-plus framework to uphold international human rights conventions. He criticized the denial of family visits to Imran Khan and the trial of civilians in military courts, which he deemed a violation of treaty obligations. Kasim Khan conveyed a message from Imran Khan, accusing Pakistan’s judiciary of compromising integrity and targeting his wife, Bushra Bibi, who is also serving a prison sentence.
Kasim Khan shared Imran Khan’s concerns about the judiciary’s treatment of his wife and the conditions of her confinement. Imran Khan, currently serving a 14-year jail term in a corruption case, has been detained since August 2023. His wife, Bushra Bibi, is also serving a seven-year sentence in a similar corruption case.
