The United States has requested the Government of Pakistan to grant consular access to Khadija Shah, an American citizen who is the prime suspect in the attack on the corps commander’s house, which is also known as the Jinnah House.
According to the details, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel, during a press briefing, was asked about the US stance on the fashion designer who had been arrested in the light of vandalism and arson on Jinnah House.
In response, he revealed that Washington has been following the case of Shah and urges the foreign governments to allow and follow consular notifications for procedures when American citizens are detained.
Read more: Saga of apology video of Khadija Shah following Rana Sanaullah’s presser
“I believe Ms Shah is a dual national, and so we continue to engage directly with the Government of Pakistan on this,” State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
“And we expect Pakistani authorities to respect all free, all fair trial guarantees owed to these detainees,” he added.
Khadija Shah’s arrest
Prominent fashion designer and PTI supporter Khadija Shah was taken into custody in relation to the assault on Jinnah House that took place in Lahore following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan on May 9.
The daughter of former finance minister Salman Shah and the brains behind the fashion label Elan, Khadija Shah is suspected to have been among those leading the attack on the Jinnah House, which is currently used as the residence of the Lahore Corps Commander.
Khadija Shah turned herself in at the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Iqbal Town police station. Prior to her surrender, an audio clip of hers emerged on social media where she could be heard explaining the immense hardship her family has faced during the police crackdown on PTI after May 9th violence.
Khadijah, showing us how it’s done, strong, poised, dignified and raising voice for #YasminRashid . Women of #PTI the future leaders of #Pakistan making us proud. #ReleaseDr_YasminRashid #PakistanUnderSeige #KhadijahShah #KhadijaShah https://t.co/srxQo5w17v
— Sara Taseer (@sarataseer) June 3, 2023
Prior to her surrender, police claimed to have unsuccessfully raided two houses in Gulberg and one in Bahria Town to apprehend Shah. It was claimed that she had left her flat dressed in a burqa an hour before the police arrived and was using a friend’s mobile phone for communication.
Read more: Designer Khadija Shah surrenders to Police