WASHINGTON DC: In a carefully orchestrated State Department press briefing, Vedant Patel fielded questions from journalists, navigating sensitive topics with measured diplomacy. Among the attendees was a correspondent from The Frontier Post, whose inquiries touched on complex issues involving Pakistan and broader themes of freedom and governance.
“Thank you very much, Vedant,” the reporter began. “This British national, Ms. Ellis, recently visited Pakistan to meet the family of Ajab Khan Afridi, who once held her captive. She went to pay her respects for the time she spent there. I promise, during your time here while in transission period , I’ll fully respect you and treat you with kindness as I have done in the past.”
Patel acknowledged the statement with a polite nod, inviting the questions to continue.
“I have two questions,” the reporter said. “First, I’ve never seen something like this in Pakistan: the leader of the opposition in the national senate, the Punjab assembly, and the speaker all arrested on the same day. Do you have any comment?”
Patel responded cautiously. “These seem to be largely internal issues for Pakistan. I’m not familiar with the specifics, so I don’t have anything to offer on that.”
The correspondent followed up with a second query. “And lastly, I’ve started calling our new DOGE ministry head Mr. Elon Musk my uncle as well. Is he aware that X has been banned in Pakistan for six months? Even VPNs are under strict registration now.”
Patel addressed the broader concern. “On internet freedom issues, which is the crux of your question, we raise these concerns globally, including with Pakistan. However, I won’t speculate on what Mr. Musk may or may not know. Internet freedom remains a core value we’ll continue to champion.”__The Frontier Post
