The two daughters of Idris Khattak, Pashtun human rights activist and political dissident, have issued a humanitarian appeal to the president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, seeking mercy and the transfer of their father's case to a civilian court. November 13 marked five years since Khattak was abducted by intelligence agencies near the Swabi-Islamabad interchange leading to a months-long enforced disappearance, only to be then tried by a military court for espionage. Khattak, known for his human rights documentation and advocacy, was abducted for his work in Khyber Pakhthunkhwa and former tribal areas, say global human rights monitors.
Khattak was disappeared alongside his driver, who was released after a two days in November 2019. While Khattak’s whereabouts remained unknown until the military authorities admitted to having detained him in a court hearing. He was tried under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for alleged espionage and sentenced to 14 years of prison by the military. Human rights experts categorize the OSA as a draconian colonial era law.
Khattak’s family has called the trial grossly unfair, arguing that his detention and subsequent sentencing were based on an unjust legal process. Despite filing a plea in the military court challenging the imprisonment, there has been little progress on the case.
Speaking to New Wave Global Managing Editor Rabia Mehmood, Khattak’s daughter, Talia Khattak, shared the emotional toll of the past five years. “It’s been five years since we learned how to live without my father, and every day the hurt and pain remain unchanged,” she said. Talia described the harsh conditions her father has faced in prison. “Initially, he was kept in a high-security facility, making it very difficult for us to visit him. Eventually, they moved him to a C-class prison, which is overcrowded, with more than 70 detainees in one room,” she said.
“His health has deteriorated over time due to the inhumane conditions he was subjected to during his disappearance. He was humiliated and denied proper medical treatment. Although prison doctors recommended an MRI, he was never taken for the procedure. Now, at 61, he suffers from chronic back pain, but he is forced to work in a factory inside the prison for long hours, which is almost impossible for him to endure.”
Regarding the legal proceedings, Talia expressed frustration with the slow pace of the case. “Military courts are highly unpredictable, and information is scarce,” she said. “We filed an appeal in December 2021 after he was sentenced to 14 years. Since then, we have had only three or four hearings, spaced months apart. Last week, we had a hearing after an entire year, and they said a decision would be made in two weeks. We are hoping for a positive outcome and his release, as five years is already a huge portion of his life that he has missed out on.”
Talia also called for the case to be moved to a civilian court, where the family could expect greater transparency and uninterrupted access to his legal counsel. “We want the case to be out of the military court and into a civilian court, so we can at least have some level of transparency and access to him. We want to ensure he doesn’t face further restrictions in communicating with his lawyer.”