by: Nuaman Ishfaq Mughal
Washington: The United States called on Pakistan to provide consular access to Khadija Shah, a prominent fashion designer with dual citizenship, who was arrested on charges of protesting on May 9.
Washington: The United States called on Pakistan to provide consular access to Khadija Shah, a prominent fashion designer with dual citizenship, who was arrested on charges of protesting on May 9.
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.
“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.
Khadija Shah’s family said that she participated in protests peacefully and appeared voluntarily only to cooperate in the investigation. When Khadija Shah was produced in the Anti-Terrorism Court, her face was covered. Thousands of people, including ordinary workers and key aides of Imran Khan’s party, are currently under detention on charges of protesting on May 9.
Khadija Shah is said to be the granddaughter of former Pakistan Army Chief General Asif Nawaz Janjua and daughter-in-law of former Finance Minister Salman Shah.
Some of the arrested persons are being tried in the military court on the charge of targeting sensitive military installations. Local and international human rights organizations have called this move against the spirit of free and fair trial. It should be noted that the Supreme Court had declared Imran Khan’s detention illegal and allowed him to move freely.
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