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British MPs question Pakistan's legal system after Imran Khan sentencing

The former prime minister has been sentenced to 14 years in a case condemned as 'politically motivated' by rights groups
A supporter of Imran Khan holds his poster at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gathering on Martyrs’ Day to honour those said to have died during a protest in Peshawar on 15 December 2024 (AFP)
A supporter of Imran Khan holds his poster at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gathering on Martyrs’ Day to honour those said to have died during a protest in Peshawar on 15 December 2024 (AFP)

Two British MPs from both the Labour and Conservative parties have raised concerns about Pakistan's judiciary following the sentencing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 14 years in prison on corruption charges on Friday.

Khan was sentenced by a court in Rawalpindi in a case alleging he laundered over $300m as part of a deal to establish a non-profit educational institute with his wife, Bushra Bibi, who was sentenced to seven years.

Reacting to the sentencing, Khan said on X that the Pakistani judiciary "has further eroded its credibility", adding: "Such mockery has never been witnessed in the history of the judiciary.

"I will never accept this dictatorship, and I am prepared to remain in a prison cell for as long as it takes in the struggle against this tyranny."

Human rights organisations argue that the charges against Khan are politically motivated.

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Lord Daniel Hannan, a former member of the European Parliament and a Conservative peer in the House of Lords in Britain's parliament, told Middle East Eye that he fears Pakistan's courts "are becoming instruments of the people in power".

"The rule of law no longer applies," he said. 

Labour MP Kim Johnson told MEE the sentencing of Khan and his wife "raises serious concerns about the state of democracy and judicial independence in Pakistan".

"It is worth noting that he has been acquitted or had his previous sentences suspended in most cases, which raises further questions about the consistency of the legal process," she added. 

Khan, widely recognised as the country's most popular politician, has spent over a year in prison. A recent UN report concluded that his detention is arbitrary and in contravention of international law.

'Justice must be seen to be fair'

Hannan warned that Pakistan "won't recover, politically or economically, until Imran Khan is released, civil law is restored and free elections are scheduled".

Johnson added: "Justice must be seen to be fair, impartial and free from political influence.

"I call on the foreign secretary to engage with counterparts in Pakistan, raising these concerns and urging adherence to democratic principles and the rule of law."

This is not the first time that British political figures have questioned the impartiality of Pakistan's legal system.

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The British Labour government, as well as the US government, expressed "deep concern" in December after Pakistani military courts convicted 25 civilian supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of involvement in violent protests against the government.

That same month, several PTI leaders told MEE that the anticipated potential support for Khan from the incoming Trump administration put pressure on the Pakistani government and military to "initiate meaningful dialogue" with the party.

Richard Grenell, Trump's envoy for special missions, caused a stir in Pakistan by criticising the government's treatment of Khan, who was ousted in April 2022 through a parliamentary no-confidence vote following a fallout with the country's influential military.

On 26 November, Grenell posted "Release Imran Khan" on X in response to a violent crackdown on PTI supporters in Islamabad. He has since reiterated the call. 

However, Khan's sentencing is a fresh blow to the politician and his movement. 

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