American lawmakers, Biden and Trump administration officials, and Amnesty International have called for the release of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, urging the Pakistani government to avoid from using force against PTI protesters.
According to a report published in Daily Dawn, Richard Grenell, who served as the Director of National Intelligence under Trump’s administration, also issued a special statement on his official X account. He was a key figure in Donald Trump’s team and was selected for negotiations with Russia on the Ukraine issue.
Grenell shared a Bloomberg report on the concerning situation in Islamabad and wrote, “Imran Khan should be released.”
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Zalmay Khalilzad, a prominent official from Trump’s first administration, expressed deep concern over a report suggesting a “shoot on sight” order for troublemakers. He called such an order a “disastrous” mistake and stated that it was not the correct way to enforce the law.
After extensive media coverage of Pakistan’s current political situation over the past two to three days, U.S. lawmakers also criticized the ongoing political crisis and human rights situation in Pakistan, demanding the release of all political prisoners, including Imran Khan. They condemned the use of force to suppress protests and dissent.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib described the situation in Pakistan, where PTI protesters are facing repression and increasing political violence, stating that such actions were aimed at suppressing democracy and human rights. She said, “I stand with the brave people of Pakistan, who are waking up and protesting for change.”
Amnesty International also expressed serious concerns over the Pakistani government’s use of force against protesters and demanded that the government respect the rights of demonstrators. The organization called for the immediate withdrawal of the “shoot on sight” order, as such directives grant unnecessary powers to the military.
