US seeks consular access to detained Khadija Shah

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has asked Pakistan to provide consular access to its national Khadija Shah, a prime suspect in the Jinnah House attack case, ARY News reported.

Police arrested the daughter of former finance minister Salman Shah and fashion designer Khadija Shah in the Jinnah House attack case on May 09.

“We have followed the case of Khadija Shah and have asked the Pakistani officials for granting consular access to her,” said US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel while addressing a press briefing.

He also stated that whenever a US citizen is arrested overseas, “we stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance and we expect Pakistani authorities to respect all fair trial guarantees owed to these detainees.”

The US official further said that Washington values its long-standing cooperation with Pakistan.

“We have always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan critical to US interests and that remains unchanged.”

Responding to a question regarding allegations of a “foreign conspiracy” plotted in Washington to overthrow the previous government in Pakistan, Vedant Patel said that there is no truth to these allegations.

These allegations are categorically false, he said and added that Pakistani politics are a matter for the people of Pakistani to decide and for them to pursue within the auspices of their own constitution and laws