“Achieving genuine democratic change and freedom in Pakistan will never be easy,” says former Prime Minister.
LONDON: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has reached out to newly elected UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, asking him to help spotlight the threats facing democracy in Pakistan.
In an interview conducted from Adiala Jail and broadcast by ITV News, Khan congratulated Starmer on his election victory but requested he envision a scenario where senior Labour Party members were “abducted in the dead of night” during the UK election campaign to grasp the severity of democracy’s erosion in Pakistan.
Khan described his current confinement in a seven-by-eight-foot cell, a space typically reserved for terrorists and death row inmates, highlighting the constant surveillance and loss of privacy he endures.
“At 71, I remain resolute and ready for the challenges ahead,” Khan said. Despite his harsh conditions, he remains strong through prayer, reading, and exercise. “Achieving true democratic change and freedom in Pakistan will never be easy.”
He urged Prime Minister Starmer and his cabinet, who came to power through a fair electoral process, to imagine if their victory had been stolen. “Envision a situation where a party with only 18 seats took your mandate, your symbols were stripped away, and your leaders were imprisoned or tortured until they abandoned their cause or left politics. Imagine homes being raided and women and children abducted in the dead of night,” Khan urged.
Khan claimed his party has faced severe suppression and emphasized that the Pakistani people’s desire for change, democracy, and the rule of law was evident in their votes, which were a cry for justice, self-determination, and freedom.
ITV also spoke with Khan’s international adviser, Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, who confirmed that Khan is now seeking to become the next chancellor of Oxford University, where he studied in the 1970s. An application has been submitted for an election later this year, Bukhari said.
Regarding his situation, Khan suggested that a new British government should amplify calls for his release, noting the significant responsibility and expectations placed on the UK government globally, particularly in light of the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the worldwide erosion of democratic principles.
“The world is watching and looking for leadership,” Khan said. “We have a collective duty to uphold values of peace and strive for freedom and fairness for everyone. The UK’s stance on these values will be crucial.”
He also called on Starmer to address rising anti-Muslim sentiment in the UK. “Having spent considerable time in the UK during my cricketing career, I am disheartened by the rise of Islamophobia. I hope the new government will take action against the bigotry affecting Muslims and people of all faiths.”
