New Delhi: Michigan Democratic nominee for the US Senate Abdul El-Sayed has criticised the state of democracy in Pakistan, saying democracy requires that all people get to run for public offices rather than be subject to “jailing and intimidation”, in an apparent reference to former prime minister Imran Khan.
Speaking at the Pakistan Association of America’s annual gathering in metro Detroit on Sunday to mark the 79th anniversary of Pakistan independence, El-Sayed, whose parents immigrated from Egypt, drew a parallel between Pakistan and Egypt.
“…the only reason I could be running for office is because I was born in the United States of America because of an accident of history. My family immigrated to this country from Egypt where there is no democracy, there is a military dictatorship. And I say that because sometimes community histories rhyme,” he said.
The 41-year-old Abdul El-Sayed, alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other progressives, is seen as part of a shift within the Democratic Party that could “help bring back reluctant and disenchanted Democrats”, according to a report in The Guardian.
Many traditional Democratic supporters abandoned the party over Joe Biden’s support for Israel and his administration’s substantial military aid to the country, particularly after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack.
El-Sayed described democracy as a precious thing, “a beautiful thing”. “And it operates on a nice edge. And we see that in the United States right now under a president who threatens the very ideals of democracy itself.”
“But on the 79th anniversary of Pakistan,” he continued, “we also have to be clear that right now democracy is not being allowed to take its place. And I think it’s important for us just to recognize that democracy requires that all people get to run for public office rather than be subject to jailing and intimidation simply because they would have a voice in our public office.”
Without naming Imran Khan, he said, whatever one feels about “the former prime minister of Pakistan”, all agree that democracy only works when “we have the freedom of our speech and our own freedom to be able to articulate and run for public office, which is exactly what I’m going to do”.
El-Sayed’s remarks hold significance given his position as the US Senate nominee for the Democrats from Michigan, a state with substantial South Asian and Muslim-American population.
El-Sayed secured the nomination earlier this month and is all set to face Mike Rogers, a Republican candidate in the November general election. And if he wins, El-Sayed would create history by becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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The pro imran khan camp is very influential in USA. They even donated to Trump but obviously it was too less for Trump to even notice hence no remarks from his side.
This is just them lobbying another candidate.