The U.S. State Department has acknowledged its efforts on behalf of designer Khadijah Shah, who’s being imprisoned in Pakistan.
The bridal, eveningwear and ready-to-wear designer has dual citizenship in Pakistan and the U.S. Her firms Zaha and Élan are based in Pakistan. In keeping with published reports, she faced arrest by Pakistani police on account of her alleged involvement within the May 9 demonstrations on the Corps Commander House in Lahore. At the moment, supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf vandalized the property, which is generally known as “Jinnah House,” following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan on account of charges of corruption. Hundreds of PTI supporters have been arrested and are expected to be tried in criminal court.
In a lengthy statement from Shah’s family posted online, her relatives described her as “a law-abiding citizen and loving mother of three young children” who never had any official affiliation with a political party and has “all the time been committed to the rule of law and prosperity of Pakistani society.” They claimed that she took part in a peaceful protest on May 9. Some reports alleged Shah was “a primary suspect” within the destructive demonstration at Jinnah House. Her family disputed reports that she was “a central figure within the violence and damage” that had been caused on May 9. In addition they stated that she had not known that she was being sought by police. They said she “willingly” claimed that she had not presented herself to police officials for questioning on May 23 and was subsequently arrested.
In addition they noted that when she appeared in Anti-Terrorism Court on May 24, her face was covered by authorities. Shah’s family said that neither they, nor her lawyers, had been in a position to see her, and check on her health and living conditions within the Kot Lakhpat Jail.
At a June 6 press conference in Pakistan, a State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel reportedly said that the U.S. has requested consular access to her. Foreign government officials are entitled to ascertain on their imprisoned nationals to ascertain on their welfare and supply consular assistance. They could contact family, ensure legal representation and medical care and supply reading material.
Asked concerning the status of the consular access request for Shah, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said, “We’re aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Pakistan. The U.S. Department of State and our embassies and consulates abroad haven’t any greater priority than the protection and security of U.S. residents overseas. At any time when a U.S. citizen is arrested overseas, we stand ready to supply all appropriate assistance. Because of privacy considerations, now we have no further comment.”
Last month in a video message, Shah condemned the May 9 events and apologized to the Pakistani army.
The Shah family’s statement said, “Her fundamental right to a free and fair trial mustn’t be undermined and she or he ought to be accorded the very basic legal presumption of innocence unless proven otherwise. These are every Pakistani citizen’s fundamental rights as enshrined within the Structure of our country.”
Her family’s statement described her as “a robust and vocal woman” who “has exercised sometimes her constitutional right to peacefully express her views.”
The case is anticipated to be tried in criminal court, in accordance with latest reports.
Other than being one among Pakistan’s leading designers, Shah’s family is well-established within the country. The designer’s father, Salman, reportedly had been the finance minister for former President Pervez Musharraf and had also served as an adviser within the Punjab government, throughout the Usman Buzdar administration. Her grandfather was the previous Army Staff Gen. Asif Nawaz Janjua. The Shah family’s statement touched upon her ancestry stating, “The deep influence of her grandparents, who raised her, is obvious in her patriotism and respect for the Pakistan Army and the opposite institutions of our country.”
Other relatives of Shah were reportedly arrested.
The Shah family stated, “We wish to be very clear: Khadijah and our entire family have condemned and proceed to sentence the senseless and dangerous violence that endangered the lives of those that serve our country and destroyed state property. Such violence has no place in a society that goals to uphold the promise of rule of law and democracy — two ideals which might be near Khadijah’s values and belief system.”
The U.S. doesn’t provide an official figure for the variety of Americans detained overseas. Last 12 months the James Foley Legacy Foundation estimated that greater than 60 U.S. residents are wrongfully detained in about 18 countries. A JFLF spokesperson didn’t respond immediately to a request for the present estimate of Americans detained overseas.
Representatives at Zaha and Élan had not responded to media requests Friday afternoon. Their respective sites and social media accounts showcased fashion with none company statements related to Shah’s situation. The designer’s Instagram account, which has greater than 103,000 followers, gave the impression to be in the same vein.
The Zaha site flagged Friday’s release of the brand’s “festive” collection with a countdown clock. The home also offers bridal and ready-to-wear. Élan touts “on trend colours, artisanal embroideries and responsibly sourced fabric.” The name Zaha means “blossom” in Arabic and the brand’s gingko leaf logo was chosen as an emblem of resilience and strength, in accordance with the corporate’s site. Internet buyers will even learn, “This not only encapsulates our vision for the brand but in addition how we view our customer. The Zaha woman is powerful and fiercely independent, a lady who can weather any storm.”
After starting and acting as creative director of the high-end Élan label in 2004, Shah later introduced Zaha as a more cost-effective and varied collection. In November, Shah neither confirmed nor denied rumors of a possible sale of Élan to Sefam. The designer told the media outlet Profit at the moment, “Élan is now at a stage in its growth trajectory where we at the moment are open to considering the external injection of funds to assist us grow rapidly.”
A LinkedIn page attributed to Shah described her as a “strong arts and design skilled with a Bachelor of Science focused in diplomacy and affairs from The London School of Economics and Political Science. Concurrent to running her own businesses, Shah worked as creative director for Afsaneh. In 2014, she also cofounded Sapphire Retail Ltd. and led design for ladies’s and men’s wear, accessories, and residential, in addition to marketing there for nearly 4 years.
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