New Delhi: Pakistanis have rallied in support of jailed former PM Imran Khan’s nephew, Shahrez Khan, after he was picked up by the Lahore police in connection with a case in which he allegedly had no role. They are calling out PM Shehbaz Sharif and even the Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for making Pakistan “a lawless country”.
Shahrez, who is an Oxford graduate, triathlete, and a corporate executive, was arrested on Thursday by Punjab police in connection with the riots on 9 May 2023, in which Imran Khan was granted bail the same day.
The incident triggered a wave of outrage across Pakistani social media and political circles, with hashtags like #ShahrezKhan and #JusticeForShahrez trending nationwide. Apart from the usual supporters crying foul, journalists, activists, and even a few citizens found themselves asking: What exactly is going on in Pakistan right now?
It began with a home raid where Shahrez was reportedly “abducted from his bedroom,” according to his mother, Aleema Khan, sister of Imran Khan. She described a scene where men in plainclothes took her son in front of his two young daughters.
“This fascist regime has unleashed a reign of terror,” Aleema wrote in a post on X. “But they have failed to break Imran Khan.”
Who is Shahrez Khan?
Shahrez, the regional head of Simba Global (a major Australia-based textile company), has no known political affiliations. According to his friends, who took to X to condemn his arrest, he’s better known in professional circles for his business acumen and athletic pursuits, than any activism. Yet his connection to Imran Khan seems to have been enough.
Taimur Malik, a Pakistani X user wrote: “My friend @Shahrez_KhanPK is not just Imran Khan’s nephew or a triathlete, he is an Oxford graduate, a widely liked individual and an active member of various forward looking business communities in Pakistan and the region. His brazen abduction will send the signal that Pakistan is a lawless country. He should be released immediately and afforded due process and his legal rights.”
After public uproar, the Lahore police came out in defence and disagreed with the “abduction” narrative. Speaking to Dawn, DIG Investigation Zeeshan Raza stated that Shahrez was wanted in connection with the May 9 cases and will be produced before a court on Friday.
Raza doubled down, saying, “Those involved in anti-state activities do not deserve any leniency.”
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‘Silencing dissent’
PTI loyalists and civil rights advocates were quick to condemn the move, calling it unlawful and a deliberate act of political vendetta. Lawyer Rana Mudassar Umar, according to a Dawn report, said no FIR existed against Shahrez at the time of his arrest.
Munizae Jahangir, Pakistani journalist and filmmaker, said, in a post on X, that “the unlawful detention … .exposes the purpose of the new amendments made to existing laws which allows the state to detain anyone for 3 months on mere suspicion.”
“Silencing dissent by using terror laws is a violation of the right to fair trial & will be counter productive in the fight against terror,” she added.
Pakistanis are now ranting against the entire establishment.
Faryal Ishfaq wrote on X that “victimizing family members is the worst thing about politics in Pakistan.”
Another questioned the state’s priorities.
“While half the country floods, the state is busy abducting people and silencing dissent,” X user Areeb Khan wrote. Another user, Sadia agreed: “While half the country floods, the state is busy abducting its own people. Disaster outside, repression inside. Priorities couldn’t be clearer.”
Even PM Shehbaz Sharif was called out directly.
An X user, Dr Javaid Khan, wrote: “@CMShehbaz… what you are doing with children of political leaders will not be forgotten. Are you not scared of Allah?”
Another took a dig at Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling him a “petty person” for being behind this, but without taking his name: “I wonder if a 3 or 5 star can be this petty. Truly amazing times to be alive in.”
Still, not everyone was sympathetic. Some insisted that anyone even remotely connected to the events of May 9 — when PTI supporters rampaged through military installations following Imran Khan’s arrest — must face justice.
“He may be an excellent athlete, but he cannot run from the law. May 9 will always haunt them,” X user Faisal Latif said.
Another disgruntled person, Zar Hussain, simply summed it up by saying, “Comedy state”.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)