The United States is "concerned" over reports coming out of Pakistan in terms of intimidation and voter suppression and is watching the situation "very closely," Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House John Kirby said. Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, who accused Washington of orchestrating ouster of his PTI government, on Thursday sought America’s help through a special message to the US that it should play a role and voice concern about his country's "rigged" general elections. It was a purported diplomatic cable - the cipher - that Imran Khan, 71, had waived at a public rally in March 2022 claiming that the US wanted to oust his government, soon after which his political stars took a downhill journey leading to incarceration, conviction in multiple cases and even being disbarred from contesting the polls.

After a meeting of party leaders at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Thursday, where Imran Khan has been lodged since September last year, PTI leader Asad Qaiser conveyed a message from the former prime minister for the US, which was the highlight of Asad’s presser. "Imran Khan has given a message that the US should raise its voice against the alleged rigging in elections. He also gave a special message with regard to America that the US had not played their role accordingly," Asad Qaiser said. Claiming that Imran Khan's message is that "the US has an opportunity and should keep an eye on rigging in the elections," Asad Qaiser said, "If they are champions of democracy, then they should voice it if they think the elections in Pakistan were not fair." PTI's counsel Barrister Saif, who also addressed the media with Asad Qaiser, said: "America should take a tougher stance over these elections."

"When PTI was cornered in the elections, America should have raised its voice," said Saif quoting the party founder as saying. The message was heard in Washington as hours later the White House responded. So far, the US State Department has been making statements on Pakistan elections, but this time a senior member of the Biden administration spoke. Asked whether the US believes elections in Pakistan were not fair, John Kirby told a press briefing in Washington on Thursday: "We're concerned, and we share concerns about some of the reports that we've heard coming out of Pakistan in terms of intimidation, voter suppression, that kind of thing and so we are watching this very, very closely." Kirby was also asked about the concerns raised by several US congressmen about the way polls were handled and what the White House believed that the Pakistani elections were not free and fair. “And so, we are — we’re watching this very, very closely. And as I understand it, votes are still being tallied. So, international monitors are still taking a look at — at those tallies.

I’m not — I’m not going to get ahead of that process,“ the US NSC spokesman added. Earlier on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called for an investigation into the rigging allegations in the Pakistan general elections held on February 8. On being asked about the US lawmakers calling on the State Department not to accept the results of the Pakistan election until allegations of rigging are investigated, Miller said, "So we have called for those allegations to be investigated. We think that's appropriate step to take. That's our response to questions of irregularities not just in Pakistan, but when we see them anywhere in the world." "We think that they're thoroughly investigated and resolved. And so that - we will continue to call for that. But at the same time, it's clear that the elections in Pakistan were competitive, and we look forward to working with the government, once it's formed, that the people of Pakistan elected," he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)