More than 65 members of the US Congress have written a letter to Secretary Anthony Blanken, expressing concern over the state of democracy and human rights in Pakistan.
Clearly in the text of the letter The government crackdown on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is not mentioned, but it calls on the administration in Washington to urge Pakistani authorities to uphold values, human rights, the rule of law. and use diplomatic tools to preserve the democratic system.
It should be noted that since the end of Imran Khan’s government in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April last year, Pakistan’s coalition administration has arrested opposition leaders from time to time.
The former prime minister attributed his ouster to an international conspiracy against him by Biden administration officials in Washington, although the US has often denied the charge.
“Over the past several months, we have been disturbed by the blanket ban on protests and the death of several prominent critics of the government,” the letter said. We ask for your help in putting pressure on the government of Pakistan to ensure that protesters can pursue their demands peacefully and non-violently, free from harassment, intimidation and arbitrary detention.
As both Democrats and Republicans who care about bilateral relations (with Pakistan), we are concerned that violence and heightened political tensions could lead to a worsening security situation in Pakistan, the letter added.
He said members of Congress urged Secretary Blankenship to use all diplomatic tools, including calls, visits and public statements, to address the ongoing situation in Pakistan. Supporting democracy in Pakistan is in the national interest of America.
PAKPAC praised the members of Congress who signed the letters and said the arrest of Imran Khan on corruption charges last week had thrown the nation into chaos and led to hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets in protests.
The alarming turn of events has raised serious concerns in the Pakistani-American community, and has heightened the urgent need for urgent action to protect democratic institutions, an independent judiciary, freedom of the press and human rights in the country, it said in a statement.