WASHINGTON: After the passage of HR 901 from the House of Representatives, PTI USA is now seeking to turn the non-binding resolution into a piece of legislation that is binding, a senior party official told Dawn.

Last week, the lower house of Congress adopted a resolution with an overwhelming majority (368 to 7), demanding a probe into the February 8 elections and condemning widespread human rights violations in Pakistan.

The resolution, which was met with chagrin in Islamabad, was rebuked as being ‘interference’ by a counter-resolution, adopted last week by the National Assembly.

Atif Khan, a senior PTI USA leader, acknowledged that in its current state, the resolution calling for a probe into the Feb 8 elections and condemning widespread human rights violations in Pakistan was non-binding for the White House.

However, Mr Khan said they were making efforts to change this non-binding resolution into a piece of legislation that is binding.

“We are now seeking the Senate’s endorsement of the House resolution,” said Atif Khan.

Mr Khan also revealed that the party was actively distributing copies of a UN panel report, which concludes that there is no legal basis for Imran Khan’s detention, to members of the US House of Representatives and the Senate.

“We are also providing them with a statement from a UN spokesperson indicating that the UN Secretary-General wishes for a more positive resolution to Imran Khan’s situation,” he added.

Atif Khan stated that groups like Physicians for a Democratic Pakistan, which played a key role in the adoption of the resolution, are now approaching members of the US Senate to gain their approval.

He added that PTI lawyers were also “exploring the possibility of taking this matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC),” and they found recent UN statements on the matter “very encouraging.”

“Various Pakistani groups in the UK and Europe, along with top law firms, are working to file cases in the ICC. An international group of like-minded individuals, primarily attorneys and solicitors, has been formed under the name Friends of Imran Khan Legal Support Group,” he explained.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2024