The imprisonment and reported deteriorating health of former prime minister Imran Khan came under sustained scrutiny in the UK Parliament.
Peers across party lines pressed the Labour government to intensify diplomatic engagement with Islamabad and consider linking aid and trade to human rights benchmarks.
The issue was raised during oral questions led by Labour peer Baroness Alexander of Cleveden, who asked about discussions with the government of Pakistan regarding Imran’s incarceration.
Responding on behalf of the Foreign Office, Minister of State Baroness Chapman of Darlington reiterated that while Pakistan’s judicial processes are a matter for its own authorities, the UK had consistently raised concerns over fundamental rights.
“While Pakistan’s judicial processes are, of course, a matter for Pakistan, we are clear that the Pakistani authorities need to respect fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial, due process, humane detention and access to appropriate medical treatment,” she said.
“This applies to Imran Khan as it does to all Pakistani citizens.”
The minister added that UK ministers and officials had “regularly raised” with their Pakistani counterparts the need to uphold Pakistan’s constitution and international human rights obligations, including in relation to Imran.
Family access and medical concerns
Several peers highlighted reports that Imran had been denied access to lawyers, family members and doctors, and was being held in solitary confinement.
Conservative peer Zac Goldsmith — also the former brother-in-law of Imran — described the situation as “an international outrage”, later writing on X that peers had urged the UK foreign minister to “step up”.
During the debate, he said: “We understand that Imran Khan has been denied access to lawyers, denied access to his family, including his two sons, denied access to doctors, and that he has been kept in solitary confinement, with his health deteriorating rapidly.”
