Pakistan: Jailed former PM Imran Khan re-nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize!
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: An advocacy group has nominated Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, in jail since August 2023 and facing around 150 cases, for the Nobel Peace Prize, for his efforts towards “protecting human rights and democracy” in the Islamic Republic, the media reported on Tuesday.
Earlier, he was nominated for the Prize in 2019 when he was the PM.
Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan’s main opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was ousted from office in April 2022 and has been incarcerated since August 2023.
“We are pleased to announce on behalf of Partiet Sentrum that in alliance with somebody with the right to nominate, we have nominated Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, to the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with human rights and democracy in Pakistan,” Partiet Sentrum posted on X on Sunday.
Anyone can be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by “qualified nominators.” There are several categories of qualified nominators, including members of national assemblies and governments.
Every year, the Norwegian Nobel Committee receives hundreds of nominations, from amongst whom they select the winner through a lengthy eight-month process, The Express Tribune reported.
Khan was previously nominated for the prestigious award in 2019 for his supposed endeavour to de-escalate tensions with India and foster peace across South Asia.
At the time, a resolution in connection with his endorsement was submitted in Pakistan Parliament, which claimed Khan’s decision to release Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistani officials inside their territory in the aftermath of Balakot airstrikes in February 2019, de-escalated the hostility between Pakistan and India.
In January, Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a case related to the alleged misuse of authority and corruption.
It was the fourth major case in which the former PM was convicted. Three earlier convictions related to selling state gifts, leaking state secrets, and unlawful marriage were overturned or suspended by courts.
Khan lost power after a no-confidence vote in April 2022. He denies all charges against him, calling them politically motivated.
