ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday criticized a letter written by over 60 Democratic lawmakers from the US House of Representatives urging President Joe Biden to secure the release of political prisoners, including former prime minister Imran Khan, as “counterproductive” and not in line with “positive dynamics” of ties between the two states.
Khan has faced a slew of charges since the downfall of his administration in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, with authorities trying him on charges ranging from treason to corruption and contracting an illegal marriage. The ex-premier and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have maintained that all charges against him are fabricated to keep him out of national politics.
US Representatives Greg Casar, Jim McGovern and Summer Lee, along with 59 other Members of Congress, urged President Biden to take stock of the situation in Pakistan, calling for human rights to be the central pillar of American policy toward the country.
In the letter, the American lawmakers urged Biden to exercise Washington’s “substantial leverage” with Pakistan’s government to secure the release of political prisoners including former prime minister Khan and curtail “widespread human rights abuses.”
“Comments on Pakistan’s domestic affairs are contrary to interstate conduct,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson, said at a weekly news briefing. “We believe such letters and statements are counterproductive and not in line with positive dynamics of Pakistan-US bilateral relations.”
She said the letters were based on an “incorrect understanding” of Pakistan’s political situation, hoping that the American Congress would play a supportive role in strengthening Islamabad-Washington relations and focus on mutual collaboration that benefits both countries.
“Pakistan values its bilateral relations with the United States,” Baloch said. “We believe in constructive dialogue and engagement to address any concern.”
‘HISTORIC LEVEL OF IRREGULARITIES’
The US lawmakers also criticized the February general election in Pakistan, saying they had witnessed “a historic level of irregularities” and set the country on a path toward “authoritarianism.”
“The government has intensified its crackdown on social media and the Internet as part of a broader effort to suppress political activism, which it deems to be ‘anti-state propaganda’ and ‘digital terrorism,’” said the letter.
“These repressive measures are not only an attack on fundamental human rights, but they also damage Pakistan’s growing IT industry and further weaken the economy, with one industry group estimating that it could cost the sector $300 million,” it added.
US Representative Casar, who spearheaded the initiative to write the letter, said it marked the first such collective call from multiple members of the US Congress for the release of Khan, who had had testy relations with Washington as a long-standing critic of US foreign policy.
The American lawmakers also asked the Biden administration to secure guarantees from Pakistan for Khan’s safety and urge US embassy officials to visit him in prison.
Pakistan says US lawmakers’ letter calling for ex-PM Khan’s release ‘counterproductive’
https://arab.news/byvya
Pakistan says US lawmakers’ letter calling for ex-PM Khan’s release ‘counterproductive’
- Sixty Democratic members of Congress urge US president to make human rights central to Pakistan policy
- They ask the US government to ensure Khan’s safety in prison, send embassy officials to meet him in jail
Pakistan, UK discuss regional security, cross-border attacks as senior official visits Islamabad
- British envoy for Afghanistan Richard Lindsay’s visit comes at a time of a surge in militancy in Pakistan’s border regions
- Pakistani diplomat says both sides reviewed broader security challenges, emphasized coordination to address ‘shared concerns’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and British officials have discussed regional security challenges and cross-border attacks during talks in Islamabad, a Pakistani diplomat said on Tuesday, during a visit of the United Kingdom’s Afghanistan envoy, Richard Lindsay, to the Pakistani capital.
Pakistan and the UK regularly cooperate on counterterrorism and security, with a focus on intelligence-sharing to combat militant activity. Lindsay’s visit comes at a time of a rise in militancy in Pakistan’s western provinces, which border Afghanistan.
Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, said the discussions in Islamabad focused on the regional security situation, particularly the urgent challenge posed by cross-border attacks.
“We also exchanged views on the latest regional security developments and broader security challenges,” he said on X. “We emphasized the importance of continued cooperation and coordination to address shared concerns and promote regional stability.”
Islamabad frequently accuses Afghanistan of allowing its soil and India of backing militant groups, such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), for attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi deny this.
In recent years, Pakistan and the UK have engaged with each other on counterterrorism and cross-border crimes as part of bilateral cooperation.
Both sides held the second round of the Pakistan-UK Counter Terrorism Dialogue in London in February last year, reviewing global and regional threats and exchanging best practices. Over the years, armed forces of both countries have also maintained close cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism efforts and professional military training.
