The UN Report Ensued by the US Resolution : Will it affect the Fate of Imran Khan and the PTI?

The Geneva-based UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has presented its report about Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan on Monday, July 1st. The international watchdog has given its submission that the imprisonment of Imran Khan is the violation of basic fundamental rights, as all the cases, including the mishandling of Cypher-a violation of secret service act, corruption in Toshakhana, his illegal marriage (Iddat) and mismanagement in Al-Qadir Trust have no substance and are political motivated to marginalize a particular political party- Pakistan Tahreek-e- Insaf (PTI). The working group has also raised severe question on the role of state agencies and key institutions, more importantly Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the manipulation of February 8th Elections, by cutting down telecommunications’ networks on the election day and also subsided PTI from the electoral process by taking away its symbol and enacting repressive measures against the leaders and the workers of the said party.

The report also recommends that the government of Pakistan should not only have to release Imran Khan and other leaders and workers of PTI but also give compensations for incarcerating them contemptuously, as a remedy. It is not something unique: the US House of Representatives, last week has also passed a resolution, making similar allegations on the key state institutions on Pakistan and their role in the usurpation of basic fundamental rights of the people.

A resolution has been passed by the American House of Representatives on 26th June, 2024, with crude majority, stressing to dig out the irregularities in February 8th Elections of Pakistan. The abatement of communication services, unavailability of the level playing fields for every political party and the abduction of basic fundamental rights, subsequently deteriorated the liberal democratic values have also brought under consideration in the resolution. 

Aiming to retrieve public support and sentiments in elections both the Democrats and Republicans tried to cash the resolution, to tell their voters, they are concerned of deteriorating democratic values and also trying their utmost to strengthen liberal democratic ideals, across the globe.

The Federal Government of Pakistan has promptly responded by declaring that the resolution does not have any impact on the current regime, except to malign the political system and the security forces of Pakistan, as it is not the mandate of America. Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the resolution is against the sovereignty of the state, because America or any other foreign actor has no rights to speak or investigate about the internal matters of Pakistan. Perhaps, the Constitution of Pakistan has given a complete mechanism and process to look into these matters and the state institutions are acting, accordingly.

Considering its non-binding nature, it seems that the resolution has no far-reaching impact on the policies of America about Pakistan. American government is not bound to implement on its findings, and the Biden administration, who are spending their last few months in Capitol are not in rush to involve in any political imbroglio. Aiming to retrieve public support and sentiments in elections both the Democrats and Republicans tried to cash the resolution, to tell their voters, they are concerned of deteriorating democratic values and also trying their utmost to strengthen liberal democratic ideals, across the globe.

Though such actions will not affect the government directly, however, it will increase pressure on the authorities, who are already muddling with internal political and security turmoil, now the external forces are also seemed sceptic about their legitimacy. Moreover, the incumbent government, who is  eyeing on international financial institutions for economic assistance and requesting US for advance weapons to carry-out newly announced military operation, ‘Azam-e-Istahkam’ against insurgents within the state, may have to revert its decisions, otherwise they will face difficulties to achieve the above aspiration. These developments embark, the current regime has found itself in between Scylla and Charybdis: changing its policies will empower Imran Khan and opposition, and on the contrary, the foreign actors are critical of the prevailing mind-set.