U.S State Department sidesteps question about Imran Khan

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce sidestepped a journalist's question about former premier Imran Khan’s incarceration during a briefing held on Thursday. 

Frontier Post associated journalist Jalil Afridi asked Bruce two questions, one focused on inquiring whether the US administration officially thanked Pakistan for its role in facilitating the arrest of the alleged Kabul Airport suicide bomber mastermind Mohammad Sharifullah.

He then went on to inquire, “Is the President aware that the most popular leader of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been in jail for the last three years now, and a lot of atrocities have happened? Is the president at all interested in paying a little attention to Pakistan?”

The U.S. State Department spokesperson, while sidestepping the second question, said, “I will answer that with noting that in his address to Congress, the president announced the arrest of ISIS-K operative, planned and responsible for killing 13 brave American service members and over 160 Afghan citizens at Abbey Gate."

The spokesperson further said that the US extended gratitude to the government of Pakistan, adding that the US did collaborate in bringing Mohammad Sharifullah to justice.

Underscoring the significance of the PAK-U.S. relationship in terms of combating terrorism, Bruce said that both countries have a common interest in fighting against terrorism, noting that the arrest of the terrorist illustrated that the Pak-U.S. cooperation on counterterrorism remains “vitally important.”

Speaking to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump had thanked Pakistan for its role in arresting the alleged mastermind behind the 2021 Kabul Airport bombing, Sharifuulah, also known as Jafar.

“Three and a half years ago, ISIS terrorists killed 13 American service members and many others during the Abbey Gate bombing. Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is now on his way to face American justice. I especially want to thank the Government of Pakistan for helping to arrest this monster,” Trump had said while announcing the arrest and imminent extradition of the suspect.

On August 26, 2021, a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul during the final days of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan killed 13 American soldiers and at least 113 Afghan civilians. Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to media reports, suspect Sharifullah was produced in a Virginia courtroom Wednesday for trial. Sharifullah was told that if proven guilty, he would face lifetime imprisonment.