The US State Department confirmed on Tuesday that the Biden administration received a letter from 60 members of Congress urging the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, faces numerous legal cases following his removal as prime minister in 2022, after which he led a protest movement against a coalition of rivals headed by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “We will respond in due course to the members,” adding that the US supports a stable democracy in Pakistan.
Further questions during the briefing addressed a recent meeting between the US Deputy Assistant Secretary and a Pakistani government representative in Islamabad. The meeting, which reportedly occurred shortly before the release of Khan’s wife and sisters, sparked inquiries into possible US involvement.
Miller declined to comment on the matter but confirmed that discussions included the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in Pakistan.
On October 24, 62 US Congress members, including prominent Muslim representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, wrote to President Joe Biden, urging him to advocate for Khan’s release and that of other political prisoners. They called on the Biden administration to seek assurances for Khan’s safety and requested that US diplomats visit him in prison, emphasizing that US policy should prioritize human rights conditions in Pakistan.
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