Norwegian Party Criticized for Nominating Imran Khan for Nobel

A Norwegian political party, Partiet Sentrum, has faced backlash after nominating former Pakistani Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for the Nobel Peace Prize, praising his contributions to human rights and democracy. This nomination has sparked significant criticism within Norway.

The party shared the news on social media, stating that they put Khan forward in conjunction with an unnamed individual authorized to make nominations, as reported by the Anadolou Agency.

“We are excited to announce that alongside a nominator, we have nominated [Imran] Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts regarding human rights and democracy in Pakistan,” the party posted on X.

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five prestigious awards created by the will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor and industrialist, alongside honors in Chemistry, Physics, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. This prize aims to acknowledge and promote initiatives directed at fostering peace, international cooperation, and reducing conflict.

Annually, the Norwegian Nobel Committee considers hundreds of nominations and selects a recipient through a meticulous eight-month evaluation process. For the 2025 prize, the nomination period closed on January 31, with a total of 338 candidates, which includes 244 individuals and 94 organizations.

Details about the nominators and nominees are withheld by the committee, which adds to the ongoing controversy surrounding this nomination. The party has not revealed the name of the individual who facilitated Khan’s nomination; however, former PTI member Shabaz Gill has publicly acknowledged it on X.

“Nobel For Khan! Thank you to Partiet Sentrum, Norway @partiet_sentrum, and Geir Lippestad for honoring his commitment from our Oslo meeting to advocate for Imran Khan’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination. I’m grateful to him, Miss Samina T, and the party for their support,” Gill shared, including clips from his meeting with Lippestad and the nomination announcement.

The imprisoned PTI founder lost his position following a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and has been held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since September 2023 due to a series of legal problems, amounting to around 100 cases against him.

His nomination has triggered strong responses, especially in Norway, where accusations have emerged suggesting that Partiet Sentrum is using Khan’s potential nomination for political leverage.

As reported by NRK News, critics allege the party is “exploiting a possible Peace Prize nomination to garner votes.” Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Nobel Institute, stated, “It appears (Geir) Lippestad is eager to secure a seat in the Storting and aims to attract votes from the Norwegian-Pakistani community.”

There has been no official statement from the Oslo-based Nobel Prize Committee regarding the party’s nomination announcement.

This is not the first instance of Khan being nominated for the Peace Prize. In 2019, he was also considered for the award for his efforts in promoting peace in South Asia, although he remarked at the time that he did not feel deserving of such honor.

Despite his ongoing imprisonment, Khan remains a focal point of interest for international lawmakers, particularly from the United States and the United Kingdom, who have repeatedly called for his release.

International Appeals Concerning Imran Khan

In a letter addressed to Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders, U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson urged President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir to release the 71-year-old ex-prime minister, asserting that his freedom would enhance U.S.-Pakistan relations.

A few weeks later, U.S. Congressman August Pfluger joined Wilson, advocating for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to engage with Pakistan in efforts to free Khan, whom they described as a victim of “judicial abuse.”

Last month, despite consistent appeals from U.S. lawmakers, the State Department refrained from directly addressing questions concerning Khan’s detention.

In a March briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on “the internal structures of another country” when asked about potential actions from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Khan, who is viewed as “the most popular leader with the most seats in Parliament.”