Imran Khan's Son, Kasim, Speaks About Father's Case at the UN Human Rights Council

Kasim Khan, the son of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Wednesday, delivering a scathing critique of the treatment his father has received since his imprisonment in 2023.

Speaking on behalf of his family, Kasim argued that Imran Khan's detention violates international human rights conventions. He described the former Prime Minister's situation not as an isolated incident, but as the "most visible example of a much wider pattern of repression in Pakistan since 2022." During his address, Kasim highlighted a broader crackdown involving the detention of political prisoners, the trial of civilians in military courts, and the silencing or abduction of journalists.

Imran Khan has been serving a 14-year sentence at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail since 2023, convicted in the Toshakhana case involving the concealment of state gifts, which the prosecution values at approximately £190 million. His family and party have consistently alleged that he is being held in solitary confinement, restricted from receiving visitors, and denied adequate medical attention. These concerns intensified in January following reports of an eye ailment, which has reportedly led to partial vision loss in his right eye.

Kasim emphasized that Pakistan's detention of his father and the trial of civilians in military courts violate the country's binding commitments under the GSP+ framework, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention against Torture. He stated, "My brother and I are not political people. We never wanted to come before bodies like this. But my father's life demands that we take action."

The address also touched upon the contentious issue of visa denials for Imran Khan's sons. Kasim and his brother Sulaiman, who reside in London with their mother, have been unable to visit their father due to alleged deliberate delays in processing their visas by the Pakistani government.

While Information Minister Attaullah Tarar recently suggested the brothers could enter Pakistan on National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), Kasim rejected this, calling the denial of a prisoner's children the right to visit "collective punishment." He noted that traveling on a NICOP would strip them of British diplomatic protection, a claim echoed by their mother, Jemima Goldsmith.

Medical concerns remain a central point of contention. Imran Khan recently underwent a third eye procedure at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) involving an anti-VEGF injection. However, his personal doctors and family are demanding his admission to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad and unrestricted access for his own medical team. The government has denied allegations of withholding treatment, while the opposition accuses authorities of a lack of transparency.

In a message relayed by Kasim on social media following a brief phone call, Imran Khan criticized the judiciary, stating they had "sold their integrity." As the legal and medical battle continues, the UNHRC session has brought renewed international scrutiny to the conditions of Pakistan's most prominent political prisoner.

This article was previously published on bahrainmoments. To see the original article, click here