Imran Khan’s PTI says Pakistani government didn’t allow its leaders to meet visiting US lawmakers

Islamabad, April 15 (IANS) – A delegation of US lawmakers who recently visited Pakistan and held multiple meetings with top officials in the government and military did not address the case of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remains in jail on multiple charges.

Pakistan National Assembly’s Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who briefly met with the US delegation, mentioned that the lawmakers did not bring up PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, during their discussions. The delegation made it clear that they had no interest or involvement in Pakistan’s internal political matters.

Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had hoped the Trump administration would intervene and raise the issue of Khan’s “illegal arrest,” which the party claims is based on fabricated charges. PTI had sought US influence to secure Khan’s release from jail. However, the US lawmakers’ visit did not address these concerns.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan claimed his party was deliberately excluded from any interactions with the US delegation. He stated that he had not been notified of any meetings and received no formal invitation.

However, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq refuted these claims, stating that Gohar Ali Khan and fellow PTI leader Amir Dogar had been invited to a dinner hosted for the US delegation but chose not to attend. Sadiq emphasized that the dinner was a chance for PTI leaders to communicate directly with US lawmakers, something they often appeal for.

During the visit, PTI leaders continued to tag the US lawmakers on social media, highlighting what they saw as the government’s deliberate attempt to exclude them from meetings. Historically, the White House has refrained from commenting on Khan’s arrest, preferring to avoid interference in Pakistan’s domestic affairs.

The lack of US intervention has given the Shehbaz Sharif-led government an opportunity to criticize PTI leadership for their inability to sway US policy in their favor.