US terms narrative of regime change in Pakistan as categorically false

WASHINGTON (92 News) - The United States of America (USA) has declared the narrative of regime change in Pakistan categorically false.

Responding to a query regarding former prime minister Imran Khan's claim about alleged involvement off the US in his overthrow, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel he said that he had already stated that these allegations are false. "Pakistani politics are a matter for the Pakistani people to decide and for them to pursue within the auspices of their own constitution and laws. The US values our longstanding cooperation with Pakistan, and we have always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan as critical to US interests. And that remains unchanged," he declared.

To another question about arrest of a couple of American citizens after the May 9th protest and their families trying to reach the US government to help their release, Patel said that he would not go to get into the specifics of each case given privacy concerns. "Of course, whenever a US citizen is arrested overseas, we stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance. And we expect Pakistani authorities to respect all free – all fair trial guarantees owed to these detainees," he added.

Replying to a query regarding arrest of fashion designer Khadija Shah who is also a US citizen, he said: "We have been following the case of Khadija Shah and have asked Pakistani officials for consular access to her. We always urge foreign governments to allow and follow consular notifications for procedures when American citizens are detained. I believe Khadija Shah is a dual national, and so we continue to engage directly with the Pakistan government on this."