US seeks consular access to detained PTI leader Khadija Shah

The United States called Tuesday on Pakistan to grant consular access to a prominent fashion designer and a PTI leader with dual citizenship who was detained in a wave of protests.

The State Department said its diplomats have not had access to Khadija Shah, the founder of the luxury fashion brand Elan, who was produced before an anti-terrorism court following protests over the May 9 arrest of ousted prime minister Imran Khan.

"We have asked Pakistani officials for consular access to her," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters, confirming Shah's dual nationality.

“Believe Ms Shah is dual national and so we continue to engage directly with the government of Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the US always urges all foreign governments to allow and follow counsellor notifications for procedures when American citizens are detained.

He indicated that more US citizens have been arrested.

"Whenever a US citizen is arrested overseas, we stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance and we expect Pakistani authorities to respect all fair-trial guarantees owed to these detainees," Patel said.

However, he added that he would have to ‘check’ about the exact number of US citizens under custody in Pakistan adter the incidents of May 9.

“Obviously these circumstances, depending on privacy considerations, we’ll have to circle back on that,” Vedant said.

Shah's family said that she took part non-violently in protests on May 9. Some demonstrators took aim at the powerful military, alleging a plot to sideline Khan, who was arrested on corruption allegations.

Shah's family said that she voluntarily showed up to an investigation only to be arrested. When she appeared in an anti-terrorism court, her face was covered.

Thousands of people, including grassroots supporters and key Khan aides, have been rounded up since the Supreme Court declared that his detention was illegal and allowed him to walk free.

On Monday last, the hearing of the case for the release of Khadija Shah was adjourned for an indefinite period due to Lahore High Court (LHC) judge Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi being on leave.

As the judge was on leave, the ongoing cause list regarding the hearing of the case was cancelled.

It is to be noted here that Khadija Shah was arrested for actively participating in the violent protests of May 9.

No comment on situation in Pakistan

The US administration has said that it engages directly with its Pakistani partners on issues of regional and security importance, once again refusing to publicly comment on the current political situation in Pakistan.

The statement, made at a US State Department news briefing. “We engage directly with our Pakistani partners on the issues that are of importance to the United States and are of importance to broader regional security and stability,” said State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel while responding to a question about Pakistan.

The US official, however, focused on the broader issue of regional security and stability and offered no comments on Pakistan’s domestic politics. “And as I have said before, we of course want to see a prosperous and stable Pakistan because it’s in the interest of US-Pakistan relations.”

With inputs from AFP.