Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu has been asked to testify before the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Lu’s alleged involvement in the cipher controversy adds significance to his testimony. The purported cipher (secret diplomatic cable) contained an account of a meeting between US State Department officials, including Lu and Pakistani envoy Asad Majeed Khan last year. Khan alleged that Lu threatened to destabilise his government during a March 2022 meeting with Asad Majeed Khan. On March 20, the House Foreign Affairs Committee is also scheduled to consider a resolution which expresses support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 14, 2024 12:47 UTC