US diplomat Donald Lu to testify on Feb 8 polls before Congress

The Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, has been asked to appear before a congress panel to testify whether the February 8 polls in Pakistan were fair or not.  

Lu will testify during a hearing on March 20 as the former prime minister Imran Khan accused him of playing a part in overthrowing his government in 2022.

The subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia will hold a hearing called “Pakistan After the Elections: Analysing the Future of Democracy in Pakistan and the US-Pakistan Relationship.”

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, during a press briefing on Thursday, responded to a query, saying that any number of State Department officials testify all the time before Congress.

“We see it as an important part of our jobs to help Congress do its job, both from a policymaking perspective and from an oversight perspective,” said Miller. 

He stated that the State Department eagerly anticipates engaging in both informal and formal discussions with Congress, as well as the actual testimony provided by officials.