KARACHI – The Imran Khan imprisonment issue was raised once again, but the United States has chosen to stay silent. The US State Department has refused to make a direct statement on the former prime minister’s incarceration.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked about Imran Khan imprisonment. However, she declined to respond clearly. She said she would not comment on “the internal frameworks of another country.”
A Pakistani journalist asked if US President Donald Trump would take any action on Imran Khan imprisonment. The journalist described Khan as the most popular leader with the majority of seats in Pakistan’s parliament. He added that democracy and women’s rights had suffered in the country over the last two years.
The reporter pressed further. He said millions of Pakistanis and thousands of Trump’s new supporters in the US were hoping the US administration would intervene over Imran Khan imprisonment.
Still, Bruce did not mention Pakistan or Imran Khan. She repeated that she would not discuss internal matters of other nations. She said only the White House could speak about President Trump’s decisions and intentions.
Bruce noted that Trump had taken office just eight weeks ago. She said many things were happening, and people should contact the White House directly for information.
Instead of addressing Imran Khan imprisonment, the spokesperson diverted the conversation. She stated that both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio cared deeply about global affairs and humanity. “We care about our neighbours. We care about the planet,” she said, highlighting the US government’s concern for world affairs.
She then admitted, “I’ve been skipping around you here, and there’s no reason for that,” before ending her response.
This is the second time in two weeks that the US State Department has dodged a direct answer on Imran Khan imprisonment. On March 6, a similar question was raised about Trump’s expected support for Khan. That time too, the spokesperson avoided a clear statement.
The repeated avoidance from the US side has raised more questions about their stance on the ongoing Imran Khan imprisonment. The silence continues as concerns grow over the state of democracy in Pakistan.
