Afridi defends Kasim’s remarks to UNHRC as his 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 Kasim Khan’s son at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), describing it as a natural expression of his concern for his father rather than a political act.

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

He highlighted several alleged violations, including arbitrary detention, solitary confinement, denial of medical care, restricted family visits and trial of civilians in military courts, saying these actions contravened Pakistan’s obligations under the European Union’s Generalized System 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, saying Kasim Khan’s statement undermined the country’s GSP Plus trade status.

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The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) also condemned the comments, calling them a “negative propaganda campaign” against Pakistan’s stance towards 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 the business community aligned with EU standards.

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

He further argued that the real problem was the state of democracy in Pakistan. He claimed that democratic processes had been undermined in recent decades, citing allegations of voter fraud in the Feb. 8 election as an attack on democracy.

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

Afridi also accused the federal government of violating democratic freedoms and human rights, repressing journalists and acting against dissenting voices. “Freedom of expression is a fundamental right of every citizen, but the current environment restricts 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 slammed the federal government for running the economy through loans and mismanagement, saying 45 percent of KP remains green, while the “fake government” is cutting down forests to create urban colonies.

He also claimed that the former prime minister was unjustly imprisoned and subjected to inhumane treatment, along with the PTI founder’s wife, in violation of human rights.