By Urdu Report Editorial Team
British politician and House of Lords member Zac Goldsmith has appealed to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth to make representations to the Government of Pakistan on behalf of Imran Khan.
Goldsmith made the appeal in a post on X on September 2, 2026, saying he had asked the Commonwealth Secretary-General to raise Khan’s case with the Pakistani government.
In his original appeal, Goldsmith referred to the Commonwealth Charter and its commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good governance and the separation of powers.
He said these principles could only have meaning if the Commonwealth was willing to defend them when they came under serious pressure in a member state. Goldsmith also shared that his original letter had been posted separately and that he had received a response from the Commonwealth.
I appealed to the Secretary General of the Commonwealth to make representations to the government of Pakistan on behalf of @ImranKhanPTI .
I said “The Commonwealth Charter commits its members to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, good
governance and the separation of… pic.twitter.com/oWGS2jetu2— Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) September 2, 2026
Who is Zac Goldsmith?
Zac Goldsmith is a member of the British House of Lords and is formally known as Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park. He previously represented Richmond Park in the House of Commons.
Goldsmith has also served as a British government minister responsible for Commonwealth-related affairs. He referred to his experience as a former Commonwealth minister when commenting on the response he received to his appeal.
He has previously spoken about issues concerning Pakistan and Imran Khan. Goldsmith is also the brother of Jemima Goldsmith, Imran Khan’s former wife.
Commonwealth responds to Goldsmith
The letter sent to Goldsmith by Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey referred to his email of August 22.
According to the response, the Commonwealth Secretariat takes reports and correspondence concerning governance, democratic processes, human rights and the rule of law in member states seriously.
The letter said the Secretariat was aware of the concerns raised in Goldsmith’s correspondence. It also reaffirmed its commitment to working with member states in support of the principles and values set out in the Commonwealth Charter.
The Secretary-General further said that the Commonwealth Secretariat continues to engage constructively with Pakistan and other member states to promote and uphold their shared principles and responsibilities.
Goldsmith calls response ‘a disgrace’
Goldsmith reacted strongly after sharing the Commonwealth’s response.
He said that, as a former Commonwealth minister, he recognised what he described as the meaning behind the response. In his view, it was effectively a diplomatic way of saying, “we are doing absolutely nothing.”
Goldsmith described the response as “a disgrace.”
The Commonwealth’s letter did not announce any specific action regarding Imran Khan or call for his release. Instead, it referred to the organisation’s broader principles concerning democracy, human rights, the rule of law and good governance, along with continued constructive engagement with Pakistan and other member states.
