The United States has emphasized that the detention of PTI founder Imran Khan is an internal matter of Pakistan.
State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated during a press briefing, “In line with our democratic principles, we consistently urge Pakistan to uphold the rights of its citizens, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.”
When asked about the UN working group report stating that Imran Khan’s detention violates international law, Patel referred to it as an internal matter of Pakistan. “I will let the United Nations offer any clarity on the comments that they’ve provided. And in the case of Mr. Khan, you’ve heard us say this before: This is an internal matter for Pakistan. I don’t have any assessment to offer from up here,” he said.
The U.N. working group said that Imran Khan’s legal woes were part of a “much larger campaign of repression” against him and his Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf (PTI) party. It said that in the lead up to the 2024 elections, members of Khan’s party were arrested and tortured and their rallies were disrupted. It also alleged “widespread fraud on election day, stealing dozens of parliamentary seats.”
When pressed about a resolution in the US Congress concerning Pakistan, Patel declined to comment directly on pending legislative matters, noting that Congress operates independently within the US government system.
“As a standard practice, we’re not going to speak to pending congressional legislation,” Patel clarified. “Congress is a separate but co-equal branch of government in the United States.”
“The issue of transparency in elections in Pakistan is the focus of our attention,” Patel added, highlighting ongoing concerns over allegations of electoral irregularities in the region.
Regarding Pakistan-India talks, Patel stated that the US will encourage negotiations between neighboring countries, but it is up to India and Pakistan to set the parameters of these negotiations.
