Breaking News: US demands consular access to PTI’s Khadija Shah who is also US national
ISLAMABAD: The United States demands from Pakistan to allow consular access to PTI’s Khadija Shah. She is the prime suspect in the attack on the corps commander’s house in Lahore.
Khadija Shah holds dual nationality. She is also an American citizen. The US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel stated this today.
He said, “Washington has been following the case of Khadija Shah and urges the foreign governments to allow and follow consular notifications for procedures when American citizens are detained.”
The PTI arsonists attacked the military installations on May 9 when Rangers arrested Imran Khan in Lahore on May 9 from the Islamabad High Court.
“I believe Ms Shah is a dual national, and so we continue to engage directly with the Government of Pakistan on this,” the State Department spokesperson added.
He said that his country is always ready to provide all appropriate assistance whenever a US citizen gets arrested overseas.
“And we expect Pakistani authorities to respect all free, all fair trial guarantees owed to these detainees,” he added.
When asked about the PTI chief’s allegations of a “US conspiracy” in toppling his rule, Patel categorically declared the former prime minister’s claims “false”.
Dr Salman Shah approaches LHC for the release of Khadija Shah
Dr. Salman Shah, father of Khadija Shah today filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking the release of his daughter. In his petition, Dr. Salman Shah said that the police did not produce his daughter Khadija Shah in the anti-terrorism court today despite the ATC’s earlier order.
“Khadija Shah is not presented before the court after she was sent to jail for an identification parade,” he said.
Khadija Shah (in center) is with her father and mother.
Lahore Police arrested the daughter of former finance minister Salman Shah and fashion designer Khadija Shah as the prime suspect in the Jinnah House attack case on May 9.
Who is Khadija Shah?
Khadija Shah, the granddaughter of the late army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua. She is currently in Central Jail Lahore for the identification parade. The court had given police May 31 date to produce Khadija Shah after her identification parade. However, police did not produce her in the ATC on Wednesday (May 31) till the filing of this report.
Dr. Salman Shah made respondents the Punjab police and the interim government in the plea.
Meanwhile, the former finance minister Dr. Salman Shah pleaded with the LHC to order the release of her daughter, terming the detention ‘illegal.’
Last week, Lahore police produced Khadija Shah before the ATC Lahore in the Jinnah House attack case.
The investigation officer urged the ATC judge to send Khadija Shah to jail for an identification parade. The ATC judge approved seven-day judicial remand of Khadija Shah and sent her to jail for an identification parade.
Khadija Shah courts arrest
Importantly, Khadija Shah, the prime suspect of the Corps Commander Lahore residence attack, courted arrest a week after May 9 attack.
She surrendered a week after police arrested her husband and her father Dr. Salman Shah. Police, nonetheless, released Dr. Shah the same day.
Family members of Khadija Shah approached the Prime Minister and senior army officers to seek mercy for their daughter.
However, the army leadership flatly refused any relief for her saying they are following zero tolerance policy for the attackers of army installations and offices.
