Widespread Abuse and Harassment of Women During Night Raids by Pakistani Security Forces Condemned by Imran Khan

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the country’s security forces of human rights abuses and harassment of women in middle of the night raids. He alleged that women are abused, harassed and threatened during these raids, and if they are not present, their sons, fathers and even servants are arrested and imprisoned. Khan also claimed that the security forces vandalize and steal from the homes they raid. He cited the case of his sister, her driver and cook Rahim, who were arrested and imprisoned when the police could not find her son. Khan alleged that both were packed like sardines and suffered from respiratory problems. He accused those responsible of feeling above the law and said that the bubbling hatred would soon come out into the open. Earlier this month, the Pakistani military reportedly said it would punish the planners and masterminds of last month’s violence. Meanwhile, the country’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, reportedly said in an interview that Khan’s problems with the Pakistani military only started when the establishment said it would not take his party in politics.