Islamabad, Pakistan —
On Wednesday, more than 60 members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to intervene “to secure the release of political prisoners” in Pakistan, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The letter said Pakistan’s parliamentary elections in February witnessed historic levels of fraud, including widespread electoral fraud, state-sponsored efforts to disenfranchise voters, and arrests and detentions of political leaders, journalists, and activists. said.
US lawmakers echoed calls for Khan’s immediate release and an end to widespread arbitrary detention of supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
“At a minimum, we urge your administration to urgently secure guarantees from the Pakistani government for Mr. Khan’s safety and well-being, and we urge U.S. embassy officials to ensure that Mr. Khan remains in prison,” the letter to Mr. Biden said. I request you to meet with me.”
FILE – Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks to Reuters in an interview in Lahore, Pakistan, March 17, 2023.
American lawmakers have expressed concern about what they accuse of “ongoing widespread human rights abuses” in Pakistan after the country’s parliamentary elections.
“More broadly, developments since the February vote indicate a clear shift toward authoritarianism in this country,” the letter said. “…Simply put, Pakistan’s current system is equivalent to a “military regime with a civilian appearance.””
Delegates noted that the Pakistani government has also increased its crackdown on social media and the internet as part of a broader effort to suppress political activity and put pressure on journalists.
This letter was written by Congressman Greg Cassar. Congressman Jim McGovern and Congressman Summer Lee are co-leaders of the group. The letter said Khan, 72, is a Pakistani political leader with “widespread support within the country.”
There was no immediate reaction to the letter from the White House, nor did Pakistani officials comment on it.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges including corruption and inciting violence against military installations. He denies any wrongdoing.
In June, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution 368-7 calling for a “full and independent investigation into allegations of interference or irregularities” in Pakistan’s February polls.
Islamabad strongly opposed the resolution, saying it “results from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process” in the South Asian country.
Khan, a cricket star turned prime minister, was ousted from power in 2022 following a vote of no confidence in the opposition parliament. The move, which the ousted leader rejected as illegal, caused unprecedented political turmoil in Pakistan, a nuclear-armed country of more than 240 million people. The ousted leader accused the military of orchestrating his ouster and subsequently filed numerous lawsuits.
Legal challenges have prevented Mr. Khan from holding public office, which he rejects as politically motivated. His party also faced state repression and was ultimately banned from participating in February’s elections. Khan and independent critics claim the vote was rigged to ensure victory for pro-military parties, a claim denied by military officials.
