The United States has called on Pakistan to allow journalists to do their work freely as free and independent media is “vital” in a democratic society.In a news briefing in Washington on Thursday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US expects that journalists covering events in Pakistan should be permitted to do their work, stressing a free and independent press is "vital".In response to a question, Matthew Miller said, "We generally urge all governments to respect the role of journalists and media. We believe the press performs a critical function in democratic societies."

"We expect that journalists covering the events in Pakistan should all be allowed to do their work. A free and independent press is a vital, core institution that undergirds healthy democracies by ensuring that electorates can make informed decisions and holding government officials accountable," he said. Matthew Miller also refuted Imran Khan's allegations against the US, and called all of them "false". He further stated that Pakistani politics is a matter for the country's people to decide, and is not a matter for the US government. When asked about Imran Khan's allegations that US policies led to his downfall, Miller said, "I would say that we've spoken to this in the past. Those allegations are absolutely false. Pakistani politics are a matter for the Pakistani people to decide, pursuant to their own constitution and laws. They are not a matter for the United States government."

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP