More than 60 members of the United States House of Representatives have written a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to leverage Washington’s influence with Islamabad to secure the release of Imran Khan, the imprisoned founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
In the letter, Democratic lawmakers emphasized the importance of prioritizing human rights in U.S. relations with Pakistan.
“We write today to urge you to utilize the United States’ considerable leverage with Pakistan’s government to secure the release of political prisoners, including former Prime Minister Khan, and to address the widespread human rights abuses,” the lawmakers stated.
The letter also called for U.S. embassy officials to visit Imran Khan, who is currently held at Adiala Jail, and urged the U.S. administration to seek guarantees regarding his safety and well-being while in custody.
Additionally, the lawmakers expressed concerns about reported irregularities in Pakistan’s elections held earlier this year. Washington has indicated that the February elections could not be deemed free and fair, a sentiment echoed by the European Union and the United Nations.
Khan was disqualified by the election commission following his conviction in the Toshakhana case, preventing him from contesting the general elections. Nonetheless, the candidates he supported managed to secure the most seats, while his rivals—the PML-N and PPP—formed a coalition government.