In a written response to questions from ITV, Khan detailed his expectations of the UK government regarding his imprisonment.
Pakistan’s Ex. Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been jailed for more than a year on multiple charges, has expressed concern over the state of democracy in Pakistan and urged Britain to adopt a stance of “freedom and justice”.
Speaking through his lawyers, who fielded questions from London-based ITV News, Khan congratulated Starmer on his recent election victory but asked him to consider a scenario where during the UK election campaign Senior members of the Labor Party were “kidnapped at night”. Understand the gravity of the situation in Pakistan.
Khan, who led Pakistan from 2018 until his ouster in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, has been in prison since August 2023.
Khan remains determined despite his ordeal, saying, “I am mentally and physically ready for the struggle ahead. True democratic change and independence in Pakistan was never going to be easy.”
He emphasized that prayer, reading, and exercise have been sources of strength during his imprisonment.
Reflecting on the recent British general election, Khan urged Starmer and his cabinet to imagine if their electoral victory had been unfairly taken away from them. “I urge UK Prime Minister Starmer and his cabinet, who took power on the genuine will of the people without electoral manipulation, to imagine if their great victory was stolen,” he said. said
Khan’s supporters claim his imprisonment, just six months before Pakistan’s February 2024 elections, is part of a politically motivated effort to prevent his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from returning to power.
Khan expressed concern over the rise of Islamophobia in Britain, saying, “Having spent a lot of time in Britain during my cricketing days, I am saddened to see the rise of Islamophobia in the last decade.” I hope that the newly elected government will be able to stop the bigotry that has affected Muslims and people of all religions.
The former prime minister Khan also described his ‘harsh’ conditions in Rawalpindi jail, where he claims he is kept in a small cell under constant surveillance, with no privacy.
However, the government had denied the allegations, asserting before the Supreme Court that Khan was provided adequate facilities, including an exercise bike, a separate kitchen, a room cooler, a study table, and an LED TV.