UK House of Lords debates Imran Khan's detention amid health concerns

LONDON: A heated debate is underway in the United Kingdom’s House of Lords over the detention and welfare of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023.

Imran Khan is serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and faces additional trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023, protests.

Labour Party member Baroness Alexander of Cleveden called the debate “timely,” citing concerns over Imran Khan’s deteriorating health, detention conditions, limited access to medical care, and repeated denial of family visits, raising broader questions about access to justice.

The discussion follows a plea by Khan’s son, Kasim, to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), urging immediate intervention to secure his father’s release. Khan’s sons have not seen him since November 2022 after an assassination attempt, and visa applications submitted in January remain unanswered.

During Eid, Khan was allowed a brief 25–30 minute phone call with his sons from a special room within Adiala Jail, marking one of the few communications since his incarceration. He reportedly expressed joy at speaking with them on the festive occasion.

Earlier this week, Jemima Goldsmith, Khan’s ex-wife, made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to facilitate a visit by their sons. The government, however, maintained that visas were not required for their entry, while Goldsmith accused authorities of deliberately withholding visas to deprive the children of British protection in case of a potential arrest upon arrival.

The House of Lords debate underscores mounting international attention on Khan’s detention, his health, and the broader concerns over human rights and family access in Pakistan’s prison system.