Fact Check: Donald Lu is not signatory to letter calling for releasing Imran Khan

More than 60 members of the United States Congress have written a letter to President Joe Biden, calling on him to use Washington’s leverage with Islamabad for the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

However, a social media account attributed to former ambassador and retired diplomat, Zafar Hilaly, claimed that Donald Lu, who serves as Assistant Secretary Bureau Of South And Central Asian Affairs at the US State Department, has also signed the letter and called for the release of the former prime minister.

According to the website of US Representative Greg Casar, who authored the letter, more than sixty U.S. Members of Congress called for political prisoners in Pakistan, including Imran Khan, to be released.

Fact Check Pakistan found the list of signatories does not include the name of Donald Lu, who Imran Khan has blamed for playing a role in ousting him from power in April 2022. It should also be mentioned that Donald Lu is not a US Congressman but rather a career diplomat.

However, the letter cities a testimony from Donald Lu to a committee of the US House of Representatives wherein he reinforced commitment for human and democracy in Pakistan. Mr Lu had also called for investigating irregularities in the general elections in Pakistan held earlier this year.

Letter to US President

In their letter, the US lawmakers urged President Biden to priortize human rights in U.S. policy towards Pakistan following the country’s elections, and to secure release political prisoners, including Imran Khan.

“We echo the calls for Khan’s immediate release and for an end to widespread arbitrary detention of party members and activists in Pakistan,” the members wrote.

“We ask your Administration to urgently secure the guarantees from the Pakistani government for Khan’s safety and well-being and urge U.S. embassy officials to visit him in prison.”

The letter also appealed for US embassy officials to visit Imran at Adiala Jail. The letter marked the first such collective call from multiple members of the US Congress for the release of Imran Khan.

The letter also stressed on the US administration to seek assurance from the government of Pakistan about Imran’s safety and well-being in custody. They also raised concerns about reported irregularities in Pakistan’s elections held earlier this year.