British journalist deported from Pakistan after attempting to visit Imran Khan

Charles Glass was detained by police at residence where he was staying and escorted to Islamabad airport

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan deported British journalist Charles Glass on Wednesday after he attempted to visit the jailed former premier Imran Khan.

Charles Glass, reportedly a friend of Khan, arrived in Islamabad last week and sought permission to visit the former prime minister. However, the government denied his request, according to media reports.

Unnamed Interior Ministry sources reported that Glass was detained by police at a residence where he was staying and subsequently escorted to Islamabad airport for deportation. The Interior Ministry did not respond to Anadolu's request for comment on the matter.

In a World Press Freedom Day article published in May, Glass called for the release of both WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Khan, arguing that they were imprisoned for challenging US interests. His deportation comes a day after Khan, currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi, offered conditions for negotiations with Pakistan's military to resolve the political crisis that has unfolded since his ouster in April 2022.

Khan's preconditions for dialogue include the restoration of his party's "stolen mandate," the release of detained party members, and the conduct of fair elections.

Despite being stripped of its election symbol in the February national vote, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Khan, managed to support independent candidates who became the largest group in parliament. However, they failed to form a government due to the inability to forge a post-election alliance.

The PTI has accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of election rigging and "stealing" its mandate, an allegation the ECP has denied.

In a statement on X, Khan declared that his party would not engage in talks with what he termed the "puppet regime," alleging that Pakistan is under "undeclared martial law."

He emphasized, "We prefer negotiations with military leadership, who are the actual decision-makers, instead of this puppet government."