By Justice Markandey Katju
Many
Pakistanis are raving and waxing lyrical over statements by 2 members of the US
House of Representatives, Joe Wilson and Rashida Tlaub, calling for the releasefrom jail of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been
incarcerated in Adiala jail since August 2023.
There are 435 members of the US House of Representatives ( and 100 members of the US Senate ). So statements of one Congressman and one Congresswoman is hardly relevant.
Moreover, US
policy is decided by the US President, not by Congress.
My own
opinion is that Imran Khan will not be released from jail until the attitude of
the US Government changes, but there is no sign of such change as yet.
Imran Khan
foolishly took cudgels with the American Government, not realising that America
controls Pakistan through the Pakistan army. The Pakistan army rules Pakistan,
and US Govt controls the Pak army, as the generals of the Pak army are beholden
to the US Govt in various ways.
When former
Prime Minister ZA Bhutto antagonized the US Govt ( by doing a nuclear deal with
France, and coming closer to Russia and China ), the US Govt decided to
eliminate him through Gen Zia-ul-Haq, who loyally carried out the order he was
given.
In the article below I have mentioned the 'crimes' of Imran Khan
What is the crime of Imran Khan, Justice Katju told
Imran Khancriticised the US Govt for trying to topple his government
Today in the world there are two powerful alliances which are hostile to each other (1) USA and Europe (2) China and Russia.
Pakistan,
since it's inception, was in the American camp.
But ImranKhan has tried to steer away from America, and towards the other camp, as was
evident when he visited Moscow and met President Putin at the time of the
Ukraine war. He also gave many strong anti-US statements such as saying that
the Americans got 80,000 Pakistani soldiers killed in Afghanistan, and treat
Pakistanis as their slaves. He also called Osama Bin Laden a 'shaheed' ( martyr
).
All this has strongly antagonised the US Govt.
Some people
thought that after Trump became President there would be a change in US policy,
especially after his confidante Richard Grenell tweeted 'Free Imran Khan'. But
those may have only been feelers, at the instance of Trump. Only time can tell
whether there will be any change in US policy. As yet there is no indication.
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)
