A group of US Congress members recently sent a second letter to President Joe Biden, expressing deep concern over the imprisonment of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. The letter prompted a strong response from Pakistan’s Foreign Office, which condemned the action as unwarranted interference in the country’s domestic affairs.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) dismissed the letter as a misunderstanding of Pakistan’s political system and electoral process. The Foreign Office referred to the letter as a futile exercise and emphasized that such issues should not be raised by foreign lawmakers.
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A MoFA spokesperson also highlighted that the timing of the appeal was problematic, as the US administration was transitioning after the recent presidential elections. The spokesperson stated that such concerns were unlikely to be taken seriously during this period of transition.
The letter from US lawmakers had criticized the situation in Pakistan, particularly regarding civil liberties and human rights violations, especially following the February 2024 elections. Pakistan rejected the allegations, claiming the resolution reflected a lack of understanding of the country’s political dynamics. The letter also reignited debates on the role of international actors in advocating for human rights and political reforms in Pakistan.
