Will Pakistan government allow US ambassador to meet Imran?

Will the Pakistan government allow the US ambassador stationed in the country to visit Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail? Can the diplomatic pressure exerted by the US government have any impact in this matter.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, while refraining from providing a definitive answer has  cautiously stated that the decision for the American ambassador to visit the founder of PTI in jail will be in accordance with the law.

However, this response has not put an end to the questions surrounding this issue.

It may be noted that during the hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US House of Representatives, Brad Sherman, a senior member of the US Congress, suggested to Donald Lu that the US ambassador should visit Imran Khan in jail, as he would be eager to share his story.

Following this, discussions have arisen regarding the usual practice of a diplomat from a foreign country visiting a Pakistani citizen with dual citizenship who is imprisoned for a crime. In such cases, the diplomat would seek permission from the Ministry of Interior to gather information about the nature of the crime and meet the individual in jail.

However, since Imran Khan holds only Pakistani citizenship and not dual citizenship, this diplomatic protocol does not apply to him. Consequently, there has been no request made on his behalf to meet the US Ambassador. Imran Khan is not imprisoned for any moral offense, but rather he is a former prime minister of the country and a prominent political figure.

It is uncommon for a country’s ambassador to visit a Pakistani politician in prison, assess their situation, and understand their stance. Despite thorough research, no such instance has been found on record.