Islamabad, Feb 24 (NationPress) The history of Pakistan illustrates that political imprisonment serves as a repeated tool of authority wielded by both civilian leaders and military rulers, often rationalized under the guise of accountability or national security. Although the individuals imprisoned may vary, the underlying trend remains consistent, according to a recent report.

“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves” (Abraham Lincoln); this poignant reminder echoes disturbingly throughout Pakistan's political narrative, where political incarcerations have become a persistent strategy of governance. Shortly after gaining independence, Pakistan experienced its inaugural political imprisonment in 1948 when Bacha Khan, a prominent Pashtun figure, was detained on sedition charges for allegedly plotting against the state,” Muhammad Mustafa Arif stated in 'The Friday Times'.

The roots of political incarceration run especially deep during the military regime of Zia-ul-Haq from 1977 to 1988. This era marked one of the most oppressive phases in Pakistan’s political landscape, highlighted by the imprisonment and subsequent execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto alongside numerous arrests during the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy. Bhutto was convicted for allegedly killing a political rival, a charge that ultimately led to his execution in 1979.

In a 2024 statement, Pakistan's Supreme Court acknowledged that fair trial rights were not upheld in Bhutto's case. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked, “We must confront our past missteps and infallibility with humility in the spirit of self-accountability and as a testament to our commitment to ensuring justice is delivered with unwavering integrity and fidelity to the law.” At the time of Isa's remarks, Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, had been arrested on August 5, 2023, along with other high-ranking members of Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The disparity is stark: does institutional reflection apply universally to the opposition or solely to the government? If justice is to be administered with “unwavering integrity,” it must not hinge on one’s position in the political arena; otherwise, the promise of accountability becomes mere symbolic rhetoric, while those out of favor suffer incarceration, deprivation, and the gradual erosion of their fundamental rights. Nonetheless, it should be noted that Imran Khan was not without fault during his tenure,” Arif continued in 'The Friday Times'.

Arif elaborates that during Imran Khan's administration from 2018 to 2022, the same incarceration machinery was utilized against his political adversaries. Numerous cases initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and other prosecutions targeted senior figures from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Notable leaders from these parties, including Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, and Asif Ali Zardari, faced arrests and endured conditions their supporters deemed humiliating rather than judicially warranted.

Nawaz Sharif's health deteriorated during his confinement, suffering from various ailments while facing restricted access to his personal medical professionals. Maryam Nawaz reported that surveillance cameras were installed in her prison cell, including the bathroom, and she was allowed to see her father just once a week, despite being in the same facility. Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, a cancer survivor grappling with severe back pain, was reportedly forced to sleep on the floor during the early days of his detention. Presently, Imran Khan has spent over 900 days in prison, with recent reports raising significant concerns regarding his right eye.

“The history of Pakistan reveals that political imprisonment is not an excess of a single regime but a recurring tactic employed by both civilians and dictators, often justified in the language of accountability or national security. From Bacha Khan to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and from Nawaz Sharif to Imran Khan, while the names may change, the pattern persists,” Arif concluded.