ISLAMABAD – Around four dozen United States Congress members approached outgoing president Joe Biden for release of former Pakistani prime Imran Khan, who remained behind bars facing serious charges, including sedition and terrorism.
A letter signed by 46 Members of US Congress urged Biden to urge immediate action for release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader, alongside all other political prisoners detained in the South Asian nation.
The letter called for Washington’s attention on the urgency of addressing human rights violations and the erosion of democratic principles, specifically during the February 2024 polls, which Khan’s party termed ‘rigged’.
These elections were marred by widespread irregularities, electoral fraud, and government-led suppression of the opposition party, PTI, the lawmakers argued.
The letter accused ambassador Blome of neglecting efforts to advocate for political prisoners, human rights, and democratic reforms in Pakistan, lamenting increasing crackdown on freedom of speech, mass arrests, and arbitrary detentions.
The letter called for urgent reassessment of US Embassy’s approach to Pakistan, urging the embassy to better address the concerns of the Pakistani-American community and to take more concrete actions to support human rights and democratic values in the country.
Matthew Miller addresses questions about Imran Khan’s release
