The US State Department has said the Pakistani people have the right to choose their leader without fear of reprisal or violence, and the United States is committed to working with Pakistan to address the shared threat posed by terrorist groups throughout the region.
While responding to a question, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller extended sympathies to those affected by a bombing near a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) election rally in Sibi.
He said, “We believe in the resilience of the Pakistani people and their ability to recover. This attack is one of many we have seen in the last month against multiple parties across Pakistan. The election commission itself has come under attack in several places."
To a question about the police crackdown on the PTI, Miller said, "I can’t comment on that specific report because I haven’t seen it. But I will say, as we have long said, we want to see free and fair elections take place in Pakistan.”
Regarding a media report in which it was reported that the United States halted the $3 billion drone sale to India until a meaningful investigation of the Sikh leader Pannu assassination conspiracy, the spokesperson said, "I will say that generally, the US-Indian Defense Partnership has seen significant growth over the past decade. This is a proposed sale that was announced during Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit last year. We believe it offers significant potential to further advance strategic technology cooperation with India and military cooperation in the region. Of course, Congress plays, as you know, an important role in the US arms transfer process. We routinely consult with members of Congress on the foreign affairs committees before our formal notification, so we can address questions that they might have, but I don’t have any comment on when that formal notification might take place.”