US Clarifies Donald Lu’s Testimony On Pakistan

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, has garnered attention over the past two years amidst allegations of involvement in regime change in Pakistan.

In the latest development, the US State Department has addressed reports surrounding Lu’s upcoming appearance before a Congress panel regarding the recent Pakistan elections. The State Department emphasized that Lu’s scheduled testimony on March 20 is a routine procedure, consistent with the customary practice of US officials providing updates to Congress.

Read more: Donald Lu Scheduled To Testify Before Congress On March 20

The House Subcommittee on the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia is slated to conduct a hearing titled “Pakistan After the Elections: Examining the Future of Democracy in Pakistan and the US-Pakistan Relationship” on March 20, wherein Lu is expected to testify.

When questioned about the upcoming hearing during a news briefing, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller highlighted the importance of officials providing information to Congress for both policymaking and oversight purposes.

Addressing concerns about Lu’s safety during the hearing due to previous threats, Miller underscored the department’s commitment to taking any threats towards US officials seriously and ensuring their safety and security.

Miller reiterated the department’s dismissal of allegations against Lu regarding the alleged destabilization of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government, emphasizing that such claims have consistently been deemed false.

Imran Khan and his party had accused Lu of threatening to undermine the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government during a March 2022 meeting with the Pakistani ambassador in Washington, Asad Majeed Khan.

The PTI’s US chapter, based in Houston, Texas, asserted that persistent efforts by Pakistani Americans led to the Congressional hearing on the allegations made by Khan and his party.

The bipartisan hearing is anticipated to draw significant participation from both Democratic and Republican legislators.