The U.S. State Department on Monday supported the right to protest and free assembly, but stressed this should be exercised peacefully and not incorporate violent actions, looting and arson.
Responding to a question on the May 9, 2023 riots during a regular press briefing, spokesperson Matthew Miller said that much like the rest of the world, the U.S. supported “legitimate, free expression, including the right to protest, the right to peaceful assembly,” but opposed “violent actions, we oppose vandalism, looting, arson.”
Reiterating that all protests should be conducted peacefully, he stressed that the U.S. urged all states to deal with them “consistent with the rule of law and respect for free speech.”
The May 9, 2023 riots, described as a “black day” for Pakistan, were triggered by the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a £190 million settlement case. Following the rioting, which saw attacks on state assets, including military installations and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House, hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were imprisoned over their alleged involvement, with dozens remaining behind bars to this day.
During the briefing, Miller also addressed a question on recent remarks of Defense Minister Khawaja Asif hinting at infiltrations into Afghanistan to target terrorist sanctuaries of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Noting that the Pakistani people had “suffered greatly” due to terrorism, the spokesperson reaffirmed Islamabad and Washington’s shared interest in combating threats to regional security.
“We partner with a range of Pakistani civilian institutions and regularly engage the Government of Pakistan to identify opportunities to build capacity and strengthen regional security, including in our annual high-level counterterrorism dialogue,” he added.