More than 60 members of Congress wrote to President Joe Biden on Wednesday, urging his intervention "to secure the release of political prisoners" in Pakistan, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The letter stated that in February, the Pakistani parliamentary elections saw a historic level of irregularities, including widespread electoral fraud, state-led efforts to disenfranchise voters, and the arrest and detention of political leaders, journalists and activists.
The U.S. lawmakers echoed calls for Khan's immediate release and an end to the widespread arbitrary detention of supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party.
"At a minimum, we ask your administration to urgently secure the guarantees from the Pakistani government for Khan's safety and well-being and urge U.S. Embassy officials to visit him in prison," the letter to Biden read.
The American lawmakers expressed their concern about what they denounced as the "ongoing widespread human rights violations" in Pakistan following the country's parliamentary elections.
"More broadly, developments since the February vote point to a clear turn towards authoritarianism in the country," the letter said. "… Simply put, Pakistan's current system amounts to 'military rule with civilian facade.' "
The representatives noted that the Pakistani government also has intensified its crackdown on social media and the internet as part of a broader effort to suppress political activism and pressure journalists.
The letter was written by Representative Greg Casar; Representatives Jim McGovern and Summer Lee are co-leaders of the group. The letter describes Khan, 72, as a political leader in Pakistan "with widespread support in the country."
There was no immediate reaction to the letter from the White House, nor have Pakistani officials commented on it.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple allegations, including corruption and inciting violence against military facilities. He denies any wrongdoing.
In June, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 368-7 to urge "the full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities" in the February polls in Pakistan.
Islamabad strongly objected to the resolution, saying it "stems from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process" in the South Asian nation.
Khan, the cricket star-turned-prime minister, was ousted from power in 2022 through an opposition parliamentary vote of no confidence. The move, which the deposed leader rejected as illegal, led to unprecedented political turmoil in nuclear-armed Pakistan, a country of more than 240 million people. The deposed leader accused the military of orchestrating his removal and initiated numerous lawsuits subsequently.
The legal challenges, which Khan rejects as politically motivated, have prevented him from pursuing public office. His party was also subjected to a state crackdown and eventually prohibited from participating in the February election. Khan and independent critics maintain the vote was rigged to allow pro-military parties to secure victory, allegations military officials denied.
