On Saturday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) faced criticism after announcing that its Chairman, Imran Khan, had hired British lawyer Geoffrey Robertson KC to represent him in international courts regarding “unlawful detention and human rights abuses.” However, due to the backlash, PTI swiftly deleted the tweet and terminated the services of the UK lawyer.
Doughty Street International initially tweeted about Imran Khan and PTI hiring Geoffrey Robertson KC for legal representation in international courts. PTI confirmed this hiring from its official Twitter account.
The decision to hire Robertson was made by Imran Khan based on advice from Omar Ayub Khan, Zulfi Bukhari, and his lawyers in Pakistan, along with consultations with important individuals in the UK.
The criticism arose in part because Robertson had been involved in campaigns against the Pakistani military and had propagated disputed theories about the 1971 war and the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Following the uproar, PTI announced that it would not require Robertson’s services due to the criticism within Pakistan.
The Doughty Street Chambers, where Robertson practices, stated that they have been informed by PTI that his services will not be needed anymore. Robertson had met with PTI leaders before being hired, and he was paid in advance for his initial work on Khan’s case.
This development follows PTI’s revocation of engagements with other UK-based lawyers and organizations. Last week, PTI had also revoked engagements with UK solicitor Rashad Yaqoob, his organization Human Rights Legal Aid Foundation (HRLAF), and Azhar Siddique, a Pakistan Supreme Court lawyer based in Manchester.
PTI clarified that it has no association with HRLAF, Yaqoob, or Siddique, and PTI will only engage international legal representation when required through its Secretary General.
In summary, PTI’s decision to hire Geoffrey Robertson KC for international legal representation drew criticism, leading to the swift termination of his services and the deletion of related tweets. This move follows a series of changes in PTI’s legal representation team based in the UK.
