WASHINGTON
\nUS Senator Brad Sherman on Sunday asked the Pakistani authorities to ensure freedom of expression.
\nIn a video statement released after a telephonic conversation with PTI chairman and former prime minister Iman Khan, the US senator, who is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee said PTI worker Zil-e-Shah was \u2018tortured\u2019 to death and his body was thrown on the road.
\nThe gruesome murder should be investigated and the elements involved in it should be held accountable, the statement said.
\nThe US Senator Brad Sherman noted that licence of a private television channel was revoked, speeches of the former prime minister were banned asked the Pakistani authorities to ensure and respect freedom of press and expression.
\nThe US Congress is monitoring the situation in Pakistan very closely as we want to see a strong democratic Pakistan.
\nEarlier this month, a delegation of lawmakers from the United States (US) met Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral issues.
\nThe delegations comprise Speaker California Anthony Rendon, Eloise Reyes, Chairperson Appropriations Committee Chris Howden Spencer, Chief of Democratic Caucus Mike Gibson, Chairperson Small Business Wendy Carrillo and members of the IT committee.
\nThe PTI shared a video message on Twitter today in which Sherman was standing alongside Dr Asif Mahmood, who is a Democratic candidate running against Young Kim in the state\u2019s 40th congressional district.
\nSherman recalled that ties between the United States and Pakistan dated back to the early 1940s and over the years the two countries had worked togtether on several global and regional issues.
\nHe said the US must support democracy and human rights around the world and particularly in Pakistan. \u201cIt is not the role of the United States to involve itself in Pakistan\u2019s internal governmental matters with respect to Pakistan\u2019s constitutional and democratic process.
\nBut we must not shy away from raising our voices for human rights and democracy in Pakistan or anywhere else. The US congressman was of the view that the government of Pakistan and every government should respect the right of people to speak, the right to organise, the right to demonstrate.
\n\u201cEveryone wanted to see a \u201ccalm, orderly, democratic and prosperous Pakistan where Pakistanis can have the freedom to have an open and political dialogue\u201d. He raised alarm at the incident of \u201ccustodial torture\u201d and \u201csexual abuse\u201d of PTI leaders Shahbaz Gill and Azam Swati. The US congressman also talked about the \u201cbrutal deaths\u201d of journalist Arshad Sharif and PTI worker Zille Shah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON US Senator Brad Sherman on Sunday asked the Pakistani authorities to ensure freedom of expression. In a video statement released after a telephonic conversation with PTI chairman and former prime minister Iman Khan, the US senator, who is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee said PTI worker Zil-e-Shah was \u2018tortured\u2019 to death […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":319135,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[12357,12356],"class_list":{"0":"post-319124","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-brad-sherman","9":"tag-us-senator"},"yoast_head":"\n