Over 60 Democratic lawmakers from the US House of Representatives have written to President Joe Biden, calling on him to advocate for the release of political prisoners in Pakistan, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The letter, sent on Wednesday, also urges the US government to prioritize human rights in its relations with Pakistan.
Imran Khan, the former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leader, has been incarcerated since his arrest in August 2023. He faces multiple charges, including treason, corruption, and contracting an illegal marriage, following his ousting through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. Khan and his supporters insist that these charges are politically motivated to prevent his return to national politics.
The letter, led by Representatives Greg Casar, Jim McGovern, and Summer Lee, along with 59 other members of Congress, asks President Biden to leverage the US’s influence to address the situation in Pakistan. The lawmakers stressed the need to end what they described as widespread human rights abuses in the country.
“We urge you to use the United States’ substantial influence with Pakistan’s government to secure the release of political prisoners, including former Prime Minister Khan, and to curtail the ongoing human rights violations,” the lawmakers stated in their letter.
The legislators also criticized Pakistan’s general elections held in February, citing “historic irregularities” that, they claimed, have pushed the country toward authoritarianism. The letter highlighted the government’s intensified crackdown on social media and the internet, accusing it of suppressing political dissent under the guise of curbing “anti-state propaganda” and “digital terrorism.”
“These repressive actions not only violate fundamental human rights but also undermine Pakistan’s growing IT sector, with one industry report estimating potential losses of $300 million,” the letter added.
Representative Casar, who initiated the letter, emphasized that this marks the first unified call from multiple US lawmakers demanding Khan’s release, pointing to the strained relations between Khan and Washington, particularly due to Khan’s frequent criticism of US foreign policy.
The letter further urged the Biden administration to secure assurances for Khan’s safety in prison and requested that US embassy officials be allowed to visit him while he remains behind bars.
