Imran Khan’s son says Pakistan has 'branded citizens as terrorists'; condemns father's 'inhumane' treatment in jail
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Imran Khan’s son says Pakistan has 'branded citizens as terrorists'; condemns father's 'inhumane' treatment in jail")
Imran Khan’s son says Pakistan has 'branded citizens as terrorists'; condemns father's 'inhumane' treatment in jail Photograph: (Credit: ANI screenshot)
Kasim Khan, son of Imran Khan, addressed the UNHRC in Geneva alleging that the Pakistani government has 'branded citizens as terrorists' and subjected his father to 'inhumane' solitary confinement.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Kasim has raised the case of his father the UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) on Wednesday (Mar 25). As he detailed his father’s case, he said that the authorities have violated international human rights conventions. His statements come as Khan is serving a 14-year jail term in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in the Toshakhana case since 2023.
He said, “My father, Imran Khan, has been imprisoned for nearly 1,000 days. He is the primary target of a regime that treats dissent not as political disagreement, but as a grave crime to be crushed. I have not seen my father in over three years.”
In the past, Khan's sister, Aleema Khanum, had also highlighted how she had been stopped from meeting her brother. Also highlighting how she has been requesting for transparency on his health and movement. This she had said when rumours of him being moved from Adiala jail had surfaced. “Even if they do not let us meet him, they should be responsible enough to share crucial information with us,” Aleema had said.
In his address, Kasim also mentioned, “I'm deeply concerned by the alarming rise of intolerance and persecution in Pakistan. We are witnessing a systematic campaign to dehumanise and silence specific segments of the population.” Not having met his father for nearly three years, he said, “This is not neglect, this is deliberate persecution designed to strip a human being of his dignity. The intolerance extends beyond him. Pakistan has expanded its blasphemy laws to impose life imprisonment and has branded its citizens as terrorists, fostering a climate of hatred."
In conclusion, Kasim said, “We ask this council and the OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) to urge Pakistan to end this persecution immediately. They must comply with the UN Working Groups' opinion, and they must release my father and all political prisoners.”
