Imran Khan: Former Pakistani prime minister speaks to ITV News from solitary confinement

Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has urged Sir Keir Starmer to raise awareness of threats to democracy in Pakistan in a rare interview granted from solitary confinement

Khan congratulated the new British PM for his election victory, but asked him to imagine senior Labour figures being “abducted in the dead of night” during the UK election campaign to understand the erosion of democracy in Pakistan.

“For nearly a year now, I have been confined in a seven-by-eight-foot death cell, a space typically reserved for terrorists and those on death row,” he said via lawyers, who relayed to him questions sent by ITV News.

“Surveillance is constant, stripping away any semblance of privacy.”

Khan served as prime minister of Pakistan between 2018 and 2022, but was ousted through a parliamentary vote of no confidence.

He has been in jail since August 2023. At the time he was given three long prison sentences, which have since been overturned.

A United Nations human rights working group has said he is being arbitrarily imprisoned in violation of international law.

Khan remains in jail with new charges levied against him.

The 71-year-old former cricket star said he was “resolute and ready” for democratic change, adding that despite his condition, prayers, reading and exercise had given him strength.

“I am both mentally and physically prepared for the struggle ahead. True democratic change and freedom in Pakistan were never going to be easy,” he said.

Asked about the British general election, the results of which he was already aware, Khan said: “I urge PM Starmer and his cabinet, who assumed power through the genuine will of the people without any electoral manipulation, to imagine if their overwhelming victory was stolen.”

His supporters say his imprisonment six months ahead of the February 2024 elections was part of a politically motivated plot to prevent him and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from returning to power.

PTI candidates had to run as independents after Pakistan’s Election Commission blocked them from contesting under the party symbol, a cricket bat.

But together they won 93 seats in the National Assembly - more than any party and far exceeding expectations.

Khan claims Pakistan’s Muslim League (PMLN) party legitimately won only a handful of seats, a claim which it denies.

“Picture a scenario where a party that barely won 18 seats usurped your mandate, where your party symbols were stripped, and your leaders were imprisoned or tortured until they switched allegiances or left politics altogether.

"Imagine homes broken into and women and children abducted in the dead of night."

He added that his party has been "brutally suppressed".

“The people of Pakistan yearned for change, for democracy, and for the rule of law to prevail. Their votes were a cry for justice, self-determination, and freedom.”

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

Despite being behind bars, Khan is now seeking to become the next chancellor of Oxford University, where he studied during the 1970s.

An application form was submitted on his behalf for an election later this year, Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, an aide of Khan confirmed to ITV News.

If successful, he would replace Chris Patten, the former government minister.

A list of questions was sent to Khan by ITV News on July 11 via his media advisors and lawyers, but even before the responses were received, the party aide who organised the conversation was arrested.

When asked by ITV News whether a new British government should amplify calls for his release, Khan warned that the administration carried “tremendous responsibility and high expectations” on the world stage.

“The world is watching them and looking to them for leadership, especially in light of the horrific situation in Gaza and the erosion of democratic principles globally.

"We have a collective duty to uphold the values of peace and strive for freedom and fairness for everyone. Where the UK stands in its commitment to these values will speak volumes.”

He added that Starmer should do more to tackle anti-Muslim hatred in the UK.

“Having spent much time in the UK during my cricketing days, it saddens me to see the rise of Islamophobia over the past decade. I hope the newly appointed government can curb the bigotry that has affected Muslims and people of all faiths.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...