WASHINGTON DC: The US State Department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, stated on Tuesday that former US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad was a private citizen whose views did not reflect Washington’s foreign policy.
During a press conference, a Pakistani journalist asked Patel to clarify Khalilzad’s remarks after the ex-ambassador was seen “advising the Pakistani government” and the Supreme Court on the country’s political situation. According to the reporter, there was a widespread belief in Pakistan that Khalilzad’s statements reflected the views of the US government.
The spokesperson quickly clarified that the former diplomat’s “social media activity, comments, or tweets” were done in “his private capacity,” as he did not speak for the administration. The reporter then inquired about Patel’s thoughts on Pakistan’s current political turmoil, as Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah “issued death threats to former Prime Minister Imran Khan on public television. He said they have previously stated that any implication of violence, harassment, or intimidation has no place in politics. He urged “all sides” in Pakistan to “respect the rule of law and allow the people of Pakistan to democratically determine the leadership of their own country in accordance with their own constitution and laws.”
The spokesperson insisted that speaking or responding to the interior minister’s remarks was not his place. Despite a Foreign Office retort, Patel’s remarks come after Khalilzad continued to dwell on Pakistan’s current political situation, issuing another statement last week urging the country’s civil and military leadership to change the “disastrous” course. Khalilzad asked Islamic countries to reflect on the holy month in a tweet greeting Muslims worldwide at the start of Ramazan.
He wrote that in Pakistan, civil and military leaders might reflect on the state of their country and its disastrous course. They should change course in order to honor their obligations and serve their people’s interests. This was his third statement on Pakistan’s escalating political tensions in a week Many people were surprised to see the former US diplomat taking an active interest in Pakistani politics and making specific proposals.
