US urges peaceful protests in Pakistan, calls for respect of human rights

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department on Monday urged Pakistani authorities to respect human rights and called on protestors to demonstrate peacefully as opposition protestors took to the streets.

During a press briefing, Spokesman Matthew Miller said the US supports freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

"We call on protesters to demonstrate peacefully and refrain from violence, and at the same time, we call on Pakistani authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to ensure respect for Pakistan's laws and constitution as they work to maintain law and order," said Miller.

Thousands of protesters pushing for the release of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday entered the capital Islamabad amid clashes with security forces that left at least one policeman dead and several others injured.

Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), called for nationwide protest rallies and asked people to descend on the capital to take back the “looted” mandate in the wake of alleged poll rigging in the Feb. 8 general election, the release of political prisoners, as well as undoing controversial changes in the South Asian nation’s judiciary.

Since Sunday, protesters began marching towards Islamabad, which has been fortified with heavy security, including paramilitary Rangers, and continued on Monday.

The government said that at least one police officer was killed and 20 injured – several of them critically – in firing by the protesters. The police officer was killed near Islamabad, said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.