May 9 riots: we oppose vandalism, arson, US State Dept says

The US said that while it supports the right to protest and free expression, it opposes violent actions, vandalism, looting and arson.

US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said this while responding to a query on the May 9 riots in Pakistan following Imran Khan’s arrest last year.

“We urge all – first of all, let me say all protests should be conducted peacefully, and governments should deal with them consistent with the rule of law and respect for free speech.

US monitoring Imran Khan’s case closely: State Dept

Following Imran’s arrest, hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were arrested for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations.

The protesters targeted the civil and military installations including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Earlier, the US State Department had said the former PM’s arrest was Pakistan’s internal matter.

The PTI founder has been in jail since last August and was convicted in some cases ahead of a national election in February this year.

Imran is also fighting dozens of other cases which are continuing.

Meanwhile, during his press briefing, the US State official was asked to comment on Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks that Pakistan will continue launching attacks against terrorist groups in Afghanistan as part of a new military campaign.

“Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists. We have a shared interest in combating threats to regional security,” Miller replied.

“We partner with a range of Pakistani civilian institutions and regularly engage the Government of Pakistan to identify opportunities to build capacity and strengthen regional security, including in our annual high-level counterterrorism dialogue.”