Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday dismissed the US claim that Imran Khan used his detention and questioning by American authorities in Toronto to gain political mileage. A senior PTI leader Dr Humayun Mohmand, who was accompanying Imran Khan during his recent trip to US, said that the US should not mislead the world as its immigration authorities in Canada "have already extended an apology" to the PTI chief for the incident.
"Besides being a politician of high stature, Imran is a legend as well and the whole world knows him...the behaviour of US immigration authorities and now their accusation...is condemnable," he added. He said the incident delayed a New York-bound flight and maintained that the US authorities' objective was to forestall Khan's participation in a scheduled protest demonstration against US drone strikes in front of UN headquarters.
The PTI leader said that the US authorities were embarrassed when they came to know that the PTI chief had already postponed the scheduled rally. "Imran was aware that election fever has hit the United States and any protest at this crucial time may have influenced the elections, which he did not want," Mohmand added.
He said that when Imran boarded a New York bound flight after he was cleared by the US immigration department in Canada, two men came aboard asking for Imran. "They took Imran with them and a few minutes later they came back asking for the rest of the PTI team members...they kept asking Imran questions for about 40 minutes, including about his views on US drone attacks," he added.
The immigration officials asked Imran Khan if he was hell-bent on holding violent protest against US drones attacks to which Imran categorically replied that he was not in favour of violent protest. However, he told the officials that his stance against US drone attacks in tribal areas remains unchanged.
"I do not believe in violent protest and this is evident from my party's recent peace march to South Waziristan Agency and come what may, no one can stop me from speaking against drone strikes which are counterproductive," he quoted Imran as telling the US immigration officials.
A spokesperson of the US Embassy declined to comment, saying the issue had been resolved. "We cannot discuss details of the case due to our privacy policy," said US Embassy spokesperson Rian Harris. "More broadly, freedom of speech is protected by the US Constitution and disagreeing with US policy is not a reason that we would delay someone from boarding a plane...the issue was resolved and Imran Khan is welcome in US," she added.