Afridi defends Kasim’s remarks at the UNHRC as the son’s natural concern for his father

ISLAMABAD:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday defended the recent statement by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), describing it as a natural expression of concern for his father rather than a political act.

Earlier this week, Kasim Khan had called on the UNHRC to intervene and press the Pakistani government for the immediate release of his father.

He highlighted several alleged violations, including arbitrary detention, solitary confinement, denial of medical care, limited family visits and the trial of civilians in military courts, arguing that these actions were contrary to Pakistan’s obligations under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP Plus).

In response, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused the PTI and Imran Khan’s family of acting against Pakistan’s national and economic interests and claimed that Kasim Khan’s statement undermined the country’s GSP Plus trading status.

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The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) also condemned the remarks, describing them as a “negative propaganda campaign” against Pakistan’s stance on the EU.

FPCCI Senior Vice President Saqib Fayyaz Magoon noted that the 2023 extension of GSP Plus status reflected Pakistan’s compliance with international law, with government institutions and business aligned with EU standards.

Addressing the media in Islamabad on Sunday, Afridi criticized attempts to link Kasim’s comments to the GSP Plus deal and called such reports a misrepresentation. He said the conversation, translated into Urdu to clarify the context, reflected a son’s natural concern for his father and had no political connotations.

He further argued that the real problem is the state of democracy in Pakistan. He argued that democratic processes have been undermined over the past decades and cited alleged vote fraud during the February 8 election as an attack on democracy.

“While the people had given a clear mandate, a bogus government was imposed outside Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” he said, warning that any loss of GSP Plus status would be the result of federal policies.

Afridi also accused the federal government of violating democratic liberties and human rights, suppressing journalists and cracking down on dissenting voices. “Freedom of expression is a fundamental right of every citizen, but the current environment limits this right,” he said. He also expressed concern over the health of Imran Khan’s wife.

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On economic and environmental issues, the chief minister criticized the federal government for running the economy on loans and alleged mismanagement, stating that 45 percent of KP remains green while the “fake government” is cutting down forests to create urban settlements.

He also alleged that the former prime minister is being unjustly imprisoned and subjected to inhuman treatment along with PTI founder’s wife in violation of human rights.