U.S. Administration Acknowledges Congressional Letter on Imran Khan
President Biden assures response to lawmakers urging release of the jailed former Prime Minister
US-(Special Correspondent): The U.S. administration has confirmed that it has received a letter from members of Congress concerning Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated that President Joe Biden acknowledged the letter and assured that it would be addressed “in due course.” Miller emphasized the U.S. position that participation in democratic processes is a fundamental right for all citizens, expressing a desire to see democracy thrive in Pakistan.
When asked about recent discussions by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Monica Jacobsen in Islamabad, Miller noted that she underscored the importance of prioritizing human rights in Pakistan. Jacobsen’s meetings also touched on the crucial role that civil society plays in upholding democratic institutions.
Last week, over 60 Democratic lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to leverage U.S. influence with the Pakistani government to secure the release of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The letter stated, “We write today to urge you to use the United States’ substantial leverage with Pakistan’s government to secure the release of political prisoners including former Prime Minister Khan and curtail widespread human rights abuses.”
Representative Greg Casar, who led the initiative, noted that this was the first collective appeal from multiple members of Congress regarding Khan’s release, despite his historically strained relationship with Washington as a critic of U.S. foreign policy.
Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 and has faced numerous legal cases since his removal from office in 2022, after which he initiated a protest movement against the coalition led by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Khan asserts that the cases against him are politically motivated and aimed at disqualifying him from participating in the upcoming February elections.
He has had a fallout with the military, which he claims played a role in his ousting, a charge the military denies. The Democratic lawmakers also expressed concerns about alleged irregularities in Pakistan’s electoral process. While Islamabad has dismissed claims of unfair treatment toward Khan and its election commission has denied any election rigging, Washington has suggested that the upcoming February elections cannot be regarded as free and fair. Similar concerns have been raised by Britain, the European Union, and the United Nations.
Though Khan did not run in the elections, candidates he supported secured the highest number of seats, but his rivals formed the governing coalition. In July, a U.N. human rights working group stated that Khan’s detention violated international law.
Follow us on our social media platforms here: Twitter WHATSAPP CHANNEL FACEBOOK PAGE
