Pakistani American group endorses Trump for US president
A Pakistani-American political action committee has endorsed former US President Donald Trump in the upcoming November presidential election, saying that he is the best option for key issues among the Pakistani voting population in the United States.
"While we certainly do not agree with the former President on every issue, after extensive meetings with his campaign and with the Harris campaign, we believe the former President is the candidate who will improve US-Pakistan relations," the Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PakPac) said in a statement on Thursday.
The organisation said that among its key issues is securing "the release of all wrongfully imprisoned political prisoners in Pakistan".
"We believe that Mr. Trump's leadership will promote stronger diplomatic and economic ties, and ensure that Pakistani-American interests are represented at the highest levels of government," the PakPac statement said.
One of the main issues highlighted by the political action committee is the imprisonment of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is still in prison in Pakistan.
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Khan had a tumultuous relationship with the US and blames the US government partly for his removal from power, which occurred under the administration of President Joe Biden of the Democratic Party.
Under Trump's presidency, Khan and the former president had warm ties compared to Biden, with Trump inviting Khan to the White House for an official visit and meeting in the Oval Office.
We are proud to endorse @realDonaldTrump in the 2024 Presidential election
— PakistaniAmericanPAC (@PAKPAC) October 18, 2024
After extensive meetings with the Trump & Harris campaigns, we believe the former President is the candidate who will improve 🇺🇸🇵🇰 relations and promote true democracy in 🇵🇰
Read our statement below: pic.twitter.com/tb36i4eHCC
"Under President Biden, the Pakistani government was pushed into a legislative coup against the popular and democratically elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the administration has done nothing since to secure the release of the former Prime Minister and other political prisoners," the PakPac statement said.
The group said it held extensive discussions with the campaign of Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, however, "we fear these policies would persist under a Harris presidency, further straining relations between our two nations".
While the Biden administration has repeatedly said that it would not comment on the state of Khan's imprisonment, more than two dozen US members of US Congress signed a letter in March calling on the president not to recognise the February election over concerns it was rigged.
"The Pakistani people came out in large numbers to have their voices heard, despite allegations of pre-poll rigging. It is in the US interest to ensure the results of this election represent the will of the people, not the Pakistani elite or the military,” Congressman Greg Casar, one of the lawmakers who spearheaded the letter, said in a statement.
The letter recommends that recognition of Pakistan's government should only be granted after a thorough, transparent, and credible investigation of election interference has been conducted, and anyone in prison as a result of "political speech and activity" has been released.
Pakistan's all-powerful military, which previously backed Khan until a falling out, was widely seen as the power broker pulling the strings behind election irregularities.
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