Paris (Imran Y. CHOUDHRY) :- Former Press Secretary to the President, Former Press Minister to the Embassy of Pakistan to France, Former MD, SRBC Mr. Qamar Bashir analysis: In the long arc of global politics, some stories are not merely about one man or one nation, but about the deliberate removal of obstacles that could derail larger designs. The imprisonment of Imran Khan, referred to by many as the forgotten “Prisoner 804,” is not only a chapter in Pakistan’s turbulent democracy but part of a larger geopolitical strategy in which the United States, Israel, and their allies sought to ensure that no disruptive force could interfere with their unfolding project in the Middle East. His incarceration is not just a punishment for defiance at home; it is a calculated silencing of a leader whose stubborn refusal to obey foreign dictates could have unsettled the plan to reshape Palestine, neutralize resistance, and entrench the vision of a greater Israel.
The United States has long been accused of thinking not just about present crises but of planning far ahead, identifying potential threats to its policies and eliminating them before they can materialize. From Latin America in the 20th century to the Middle East after 9/11, the record is replete with instances of intervention, destabilization, and regime change to pave the way for American interests. Pakistan, with its nuclear arsenal and ideological centrality to the Muslim world, has always been watched with particular suspicion whenever a leader emerged who spoke of independence, dignity, or solidarity with oppressed Muslims abroad. Imran Khan, by the time he matured into a national statesman, fit this profile perfectly: a man too self-confident to obey and too popular to be ignored.
It was during one of his interviews that the world caught a glimpse of his defiance. Asked whether Pakistan would allow American bases on its soil, his answer was sharp, unequivocal, and without diplomatic varnish: “Absolutely not.” For Washington, such a response was more than a sound bite. It was a warning that when the time came to launch broader operations in the region, including in Gaza, Khan would be an unpredictable and dangerous obstacle. The United States and Israel were moving towards their long-prepared campaign to dismantle Hamas and, more brutally, to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. In that plan, Pakistan mattered. Its nuclear status, its army’s conventional strength, its historic role in the Muslim world, and the ability of its leader to mobilize opinion could all complicate the campaign. And so, before the bombs fell on Gaza, before the massacres of civilians filled the headlines, Pakistan’s loudest and most defiant voice was removed from the stage and locked in prison.
Khan’s removal was achieved through the time-tested formula of intrigue, betrayal, and manipulation. Once firmly established in power, his popularity was not eroded by scandal or economic collapse but by conspiracies spun from within, aided by external encouragement. He was stabbed in the back by allies, deceived by those he trusted, and undermined by the very establishment that should have protected him. His removal through a no-confidence vote in 2022 was presented as constitutional theater, but the timing and the subsequent unfolding of events revealed a deeper orchestration. He was expected, even by detractors, to return to power after elections. Yet the military establishment, in close alignment with U.S. preferences, ensured that even that possibility was closed off. For Washington, it was not enough to remove him once; they had to make sure he could never again return to disrupt the silence that was required when Gaza burned.
What followed was a demonstration of how external powers reward obedience and punish defiance. The civilian government led by Shehbaz Sharif and the military leadership under General Asim Munir quickly aligned themselves with Washington’s designs. Donald Trump himself revealed that both Sharif and Munir had been taken into confidence during the preparations for the U.S. strike on Iran and Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. The symbolism was unmistakable. For the first time in living memory, the president of the United States bypassed Pakistan’s civilian prime minister and held direct consultations with a serving general, elevating a subordinate servant of the state to the rank of geopolitical partner. The bypassing of the civilian chain of command spoke volumes: it was a reminder that power in Pakistan could be stabilized or destabilized at Washington’s will, depending on whether it complied or resisted.
The results were immediate and telling. When Israel unleashed its fury on Gaza and the West Bank, demolishing neighborhoods, bombing hospitals, and slaughtering women, children, and journalists, Pakistan’s response was muted. The country that had historically been among the loudest defenders of the Palestinian cause was suddenly silent. The same Pakistan whose leaders once thundered in international forums against Israeli occupation now mumbled routine statements while ensuring that no real action was taken. The silence was not accidental; it was the price paid for staying in power. Washington, in turn, ensured that Pakistan’s economy did not collapse entirely. IMF loans were eased, debt repayments were tolerated, and inflation was kept under some measure of control. The army and police were allowed to unleash brute force against protesters without fear of sanctions or reprimand. In exchange for obedience, the state was stabilized enough to carry out Washington’s commands.
Meanwhile, Prisoner 804 remained behind bars. Courts disregarded arguments by senior advocates and witnesses, not because the evidence was weak but because justice was never the point. The plan was clear: Imran Khan was to remain imprisoned until the Israeli project in Palestine was complete. His release, whether legally warranted or not, would have risked giving voice to the Muslim world at a moment when silence was most precious to Israel and its backers. His love for Islam, his admiration for the Prophet, his ability to galvanize millions of ordinary Pakistanis, and his influence across the Muslim world posed the very real danger of rallying states to oppose the genocide in Gaza. He could have called for collective action, perhaps even kinetic action, uniting Pakistan with Iran or other Muslim nations to confront Israeli aggression. That risk could not be taken, and so he was kept locked away, forgotten by the courts, ignored by the establishment, and silenced by force.
In this tragic arrangement, Pakistan has been reduced to a pawn. Its elected leadership lacks legitimacy, having been installed “by hook or by crook,” without genuine majority support. Its military leadership has overstayed retirements and rules with impunity, rewarded for obedience and secured by foreign approval. Together, they preside over a silenced population, cowed into submission by fear of the army and police, pacified by small economic concessions, and deprived of the leader who once embodied their aspirations for independence. The entire spectacle demonstrates how Washington’s leverage works: stabilize those who obey, destabilize those who defy.
The case of the forgotten 804, therefore, is not merely about one man’s imprisonment. It is about the systematic silencing of resistance in the Muslim world to clear the path for Israel’s project of ethnic cleansing and annexation. It is about the quiet submission of a nuclear-armed nation to foreign diktats, reduced from potential leader of an Islamic bloc to a bystander while atrocities unfold before the world’s eyes. It is about the reminder that in the theater of geopolitics, legality, democracy, and even human life itself are subordinated to the interests of the powerful.
Yet history has a way of proving that silence never lasts forever. Imran Khan’s imprisonment may achieve its short-term purpose, but the questions it raises will not vanish. How long can Pakistan endure the contradiction between its people’s convictions and its rulers’ obedience? How long can the Muslim world remain fragmented when the suffering of Palestinians continues to demand a collective response? And how long can any leader who bends too easily to foreign will sustain their own legitimacy at home? The forgotten 804 may one day emerge, and if he does, it will not only be as a man but as the embodiment of a suppressed nation’s voice. Until then, his silence echoes in every demolished home in Gaza, every unmarked grave in the West Bank, and every tear of those who still look to Pakistan for leadership and find only compliance.

Pilot projects for Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems in major hospitals, starting from Islamabad, to be implemented with public-private partnership in AI and Health

The High Commission of Pakistan in London, hosted a high-level workshop on “Leveraging AI in Healthcare in Pakistan”, bringing together policy makers, AI experts, medical professionals, and academics from the UK and Pakistan.

The session was opened by the High Commissioner, who underscored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence to improve healthcare governance, diagnostics, electronic medical records, and medical education in Pakistan. In his pre-recorded keynote address the Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, Dr. Syed Mustafa Kamal, emphasised the need to embrace modern technologies and AI to improve public healthcare in Pakistan. In his remarks, Dr. Zubir Ahmed MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department of Health and Social Care, shared UK’s experience in integrating innovation and AI to enhance health equity and access.

A distinguished line-up of speakers spoke on a range of critical themes. Mr. Abu Bakar, CEO of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), shared his vision for digital transformation and enabling health technology innovation in Pakistan. Ms. Ayesha Hussain, Data Governance Lead at University of Leeds, discussed responsible AI and data quality frameworks to ensure affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare delivery. Mr. Omer Butt, Co-founder of Vita Healthcare Solutions, built a case for AI use-cases that reduce waiting times and treatment delays, while addressing inequities in care delivery. Dr. Mahdi Murtaza – a young doctor – presented a pathway to leverage AI for primary care transformation in Pakistan and development of AI curriculum for medical professionals.

Dr. Suhail Chughtai, Clinical Director for Orthopaedics & Trauma, London, and AI Division Chair at UK Digital Health & Care, spoke about developing an AI-enabled Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system for Pakistan. Professor Jawwad Arshad Darr, Vice Dean of Enterprise at UCL’s MAPS Faculty and Co-founder of UPSIGN, presented strategies for training and developing academic capacity for AI research in Pakistan. Dr. Shahid Latif, Chair of the British Pakistani Psychiatrists Association, focused on AI in mental health care, while Ms. Zehra Shah, CEO of OPEN London, spoke about responsible AI in healthcare and its ethical implications. The discussion concluded with Mr. Rehman Qamar, Chief Project Officer at NADRA, who highlighted how NADRA’s citizen database could underpin secure, scalable digital health systems and EMR integration in Pakistan.

Participants agreed on several key outcomes, including the need for a national AI-enabled health data strategy, public-private partnership in AI and Health, the piloting of EMR systems in major hospitals, and the development of AI training curricula for medical professionals. They noted that building a Responsible AI Framework in Healthcare, which embeds Responsible AI principles into AI Applications and processes, was a must. They also agreed to re-convene to discuss other aspects of AI in healthcare in coming days.

The High Commissioner reaffirmed its commitment to present these recommendations to the stakeholders in Islamabad, ensuring that Pakistan could harness AI to deliver better healthcare for every citizen.

London, 24th September 2025

Paris (Imran Y. CHOUDHRY) :- Former Press Secretary to the President, Former Press Minister to the Embassy of Pakistan to France, Former MD, SRBC Mr. Qamar Bashir analysis : In the crowded halls of diplomacy, where words often drown in endless speeches, moments arise that define not only the speaker but the nation behind him. Such a moment recently came when Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, stood before the world and dismantled Israel’s attempt to misuse Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism to justify its indiscriminate assault on Gaza. His intervention not only forced an unprecedented apology from Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, but also reaffirmed Pakistan’s moral authority as the voice of conscience for the Muslim world and for oppressed people everywhere.
For me, this triumph was not just a matter of national pride but also personal reflection. Two years ago, while waiting for an audience with President Arif Alvi in Islamabad, I met Ambassador Asim Iftikhar as he prepared to assume his responsibilities as Pakistan’s envoy to France. In those quiet minutes, I found him to be articulate, deeply thoughtful, and radiating professionalism. There was in his demeanor a rare blend of intellectual precision and quiet confidence, qualities that I felt would take him far in representing Pakistan. That impression, formed in the corridors of the presidency, has since been vindicated in the most remarkable way, culminating in his recent performance at the United Nations where he shone not only as Pakistan’s voice but as the spokesperson of the Muslim world.
The confrontation that revealed his strength of character unfolded when the Israeli ambassador attempted to draw an analogy between Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and the U.S. operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan, which killed Osama bin Laden. It was a deliberate distortion, intended to cloak genocide in the language of counterterrorism, and it invoked Pakistan’s history in a way that was both misleading and offensive. Ambassador Iftikhar rose with words that pierced the façade. He reminded the world that Pakistan had been a frontline state in the global fight against terrorism, losing more than seventy thousand men, women, and children, dismantling terror networks, and rendering sacrifices unmatched by any other nation. “Pakistan’s record,” he declared, “is bright, recognized worldwide, and written in the blood of its martyrs.” He then turned the analogy on its head, pointing out with clarity that invoking Pakistan’s sacrifices to justify the mass killing of innocents in Gaza was “outrageous, incoherent, and morally indefensible,” for what Israel was doing was not counterterrorism but genocide, ethnic cleansing, and the conversion of Gaza into a slaughterhouse.
The chamber fell silent. Rarely does rhetoric give way to truth so powerfully, and rarely is propaganda so effectively exposed. The weight of his words left Israel’s representative cornered, and in a rare act of contrition, Danny Danon publicly apologized to Pakistan, admitting that invoking its name had been inappropriate. It was more than a diplomatic win; it was a narrative triumph, a moment where Pakistan’s honor was defended, its sacrifices acknowledged, and Israel’s distortion dismantled. For Pakistan, it was a reminder of the power of words when spoken with conviction, and for the Muslim world, it was proof that a principled voice could still rise above the noise of power politics.
This intervention was not an isolated act but part of a larger continuum of Ambassador Iftikhar’s work. Again and again at the United Nations, he has projected the suffering of Gaza and the West Bank with unflinching clarity. In June this year, he declared before the General Assembly that “the situation in Gaza is a stain on our collective conscience. Over fifty-five thousand lives have been lost, including eighteen thousand children and twenty-eight thousand women. Infrastructure has been razed—homes, hospitals, schools, cultural heritage, places of worship. Famine looms. Humanitarian workers and UN personnel are being attacked with impunity. This is not just a humanitarian catastrophe; it is a collapse of humanity.” These were not the words of a man speaking only for Pakistan. They were the words of a diplomat mobilizing the conscience of the world, urging not only the Muslim community but all of civilization to act, to recognize that without justice there can be no peace. He has repeatedly called for the only viable solution: the realization of a two-state solution on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a sovereign, independent, and contiguous State of Palestine.
By vividly describing demolished schools, destroyed hospitals, displaced families, starving children, and the blockade of humanitarian aid, he has carried the Palestinian tragedy from the rubble of Gaza to the chambers of the United Nations, where it cannot be ignored. He has mobilized not just the Muslim world but also neutral states, civil society, and even hesitant Western capitals to rethink their silence. His interventions have contributed to the momentum behind resolutions in the General Assembly, including Pakistan’s pivotal role in the historic vote affirming the two-state solution, a success story of multilateral diplomacy where Pakistan once again played a leading role.
His diplomacy is marked by dignity. In confronting Israel, he did not descend into anger or hyperbole. Instead, he marshaled facts, invoked moral clarity, and exposed propaganda with surgical precision. He reminded the world that the fight against terrorism cannot be equated with the slaughter of innocent civilians, and in doing so, he not only defended Pakistan’s honor but also gave voice to the millions of Palestinians trapped under bombardment and occupation. His words carried the weight of truth, and truth compelled even Israel, often shielded by its allies, to apologize.
This was Pakistan at its finest—firm, dignified, principled. It was not just defending its own history but championing the cause of justice for Palestine, exposing tyranny, and mobilizing the conscience of the world. For me, watching this unfold brought back that first impression I had of him in Islamabad, a man destined to leave his mark. He has not only fulfilled that promise but exceeded it, standing tall as a diplomat whose words moved nations and whose voice gave hope to the oppressed.
The United Nations may often be a theater of speeches with little consequence, but sometimes, words alter the moral landscape. Through Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan has shown that truth, when spoken with conviction, can silence distortion, compel apologies, and remind the world that dignity and justice still matter. In that chamber, Pakistan’s voice was heard and respected. It was the voice of a nation that has suffered and sacrificed, yet continues to stand for justice—not only for itself but for all oppressed peoples. And in that moment, Pakistan reminded the world that diplomacy, at its best, is not about power but about conscience, and that conscience, when articulated with courage, can still shake the foundations of injustice.