Finding Imran Khan! Pakistan’s Democracy Crisis Deepens as Ex-PM ‘Disappears’ in Custody

Oneindia

Writing on the Pakistan is once again confronting the ghosts of its political past. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has virtually “disappeared” inside Adiala Jail -- no photos, no videos, no verified proof of life. His son has raised an international alarm. Even Shashi Tharoor has questioned Pakistan’s silence.    This video decodes why former PMs in Pakistan often meet the same fate, why Imran is being isolated, how he threatens the current power structure, what India’s position is, and where Pakistan’s political crisis is headed. A sharp 400-word editorial take — essential viewing to understand the country’s deepening instability.     #ImranKhan  #PakistanCrisis  #SouthAsiaPolitics  #PTI  #DemocracyUnderThreat  Also Read  Where Is Imran Khan? Pakistan’s Democracy Crisis Deepens as Ex-PM ‘Disappears’ in Custody :: https://www.oneindia.com/international/where-is-imran-khan-pakistan-s-democracy-crisis-deepens-as-ex-pm-disappears-in-custody-7931493.html?ref=DMDesc  Imran Khan Death Rumour: Was Former Pakistan PM Dead from Head Injuries? :: https://www.oneindia.com/international/imran-khan-death-rumour-was-former-pakistan-pm-dead-from-head-injuries-here-s-what-we-know-7929871.html?ref=DMDesc  Imran Khan's Family Urges Confirmation Of His Wellbeing Amid Isolation Concerns :: https://www.oneindia.com/international/imran-khan-health-appeal-from-family-amid-speculation-011-7929191.html?ref=DMDesc    ~PR.282~HT.408~ED.420~

Transcript

00:00Once the charismatic face of Pakistan's new dawn, Imran Khan now stands as a stark symbol of his

00:06country's descent into political repression and institutional decay. Hello and welcome,

00:12my name is Pankaj Mishra and you are watching One India's The Writing on the Wall.

00:16Arrested in August 2023, he remains jailed at Adiyala Jail in Rawalpindi, serving a 14-year

00:23sentence on multiple corruption-related convictions, the most prominent being the

00:28Al-Qadir trust case. But for weeks, not a single verifiable photograph, video or live communication

00:36has emerged from Adiyala prison. His legal team, family, even close party aides have been consistently

00:43denied access in spite of a court order granting regular visits. His son, Qasim Khan, has publicly

00:50demanded proof of life, warning that the prolonged silence and isolation amount to psychological

00:57torture. In India, voices like that of Sashi Tharoor, though careful to avoid direct interference,

01:04have called out the silence. Tharoor said, the opacity surrounding Imran's condition is deeply

01:10troubling. He said, and I quote, you can't make someone disappear. He argued that even as an

01:17internal matter of Pakistan, the humanitarian dimension cannot be ignored. The fear is not just

01:25about one man. It's about the broader erosion of democratic norms in Pakistan. The lack of

01:30transparency combined with reports of brutal treatment toward even his close kin, including

01:37alleged police assaults on his sisters when they sought to meet him evoke memories of enforced

01:44disappearances and custodial deaths that have marred Pakistan's history.

01:49Why is this happening then? For the establishment in Islamabad, both civilian and military, Imran remains

01:57a potential political threat. Decades of baggage notwithstanding, his broad appeal among youth,

02:04urban middle classes and rural poor continues to challenge traditional dynastic politics and the

02:10military's influence. By isolating him, cutting off contact and suppressing information, the regime aims to

02:17neutralize not just a man, but a movement. Many analysts see this as a chilling signal.

02:25Dissent will not just be penalized. It may be erased. So the question is, where does it go from here?

02:33If Pakistan succumbs to this politics of erasure, it risks further alienating significant swathes of its

02:40population, especially the youth that once rallied behind Imran Khan's promise of change.

02:46Remember, the new dawn for Pakistan. Moreover, human rights groups, both domestic and international,

02:53are already mobilizing behind his family's pleas. A release of verifiable evidence of life or third

03:00party oversight of his condition could avert a humanitarian crisis. For the world watching,

03:06the stakes are clear. Pakistan's experiment with democracy is at a crossroads and the fate of Imran Khan

03:14may well be its early warning alarm.

03:20Subscribe to One India and never miss an update. Download the One India app now.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended