ISLAMABAD: A US State Department official said on Wednesday the administration in Washington does not take a position on Pakistan’s internal political matters after a question was raised about the continued incarceration of former prime minister Imran Khan, who was arrested last August and tried on a number of legal charges.

A group of British parliamentarians called for Khan’s release this week after holding a hearing attended by members of the ex-premier’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who maintained that Pakistan was witnessing a deteriorating law and order situation and an increase in censorship.

Asking a question about the State Department’s budget request of $101 million to strengthen democracy in Pakistan, a journalist noted that Pakistan’s “biggest leader” was in jail for about a year while the US envoy, Donald Lu, had not made an effort to meet him.

“Internal political matters in Pakistan are something that we do not take a position on,” Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in response to him.

However, he added: “We urge respect for democracy, respect for human rights, and treatment of all political parties equally.”

Pakistan’s former prime minister was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and blamed Washington for conspiring against his administration with the help of his political rivals at home, an allegation denied by US officials.

Earlier this month, a local court asked the authorities to set him free after his acquittal in one of the cases against him.

His sentence had previously been suspended in other legal matters. But just as he was about to be released, authorities in Pakistan decided to arrest him by bringing new charges against him.

Khan and his party have repeatedly said all cases against him are fabricated to keep him away from the country’s political arena.