Khan Removed From Flight and Questioned About Drone Strike Stance

Imran Khan, the former Pakistan cricket captain and leader of the Pakistan Movement for Justice party (PTI), was removed from an international flight traveling from Canada to New York in October 2012. U.S. immigration officials questioned him about his public positions on drone strikes and jihad before allowing him to continue his journey on a later flight.

Khan had been in Canada to deliver a speech and was en route to a fundraising dinner in the United States when the incident occurred. He confirmed the event on social media, stating he was interrogated by U.S. immigration in Canada specifically about his views on drones, and reaffirmed his position that drone attacks must stop.

Background on Khan’s Anti-Drone Campaign

At the time of the incident, Khan was leading a high-profile campaign against U.S. drone strikes in northern Pakistan. He had recently organized a large-scale march toward South Waziristan that drew approximately 15,000 supporters along with American peace activists from the group Code Pink.

Khan maintained that drone strikes were responsible for significant civilian casualties in Pakistan’s tribal regions. U.S. officials disputed this characterization, asserting that the strikes were targeted operations against militant figures.

U.S. Government Response

A U.S. State Department spokeswoman confirmed the incident, stating that Khan was “briefly delayed in Toronto before boarding the next flight to the United States.” She added that the issue was resolved and that Khan was welcome in the country.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to comment on the specifics of Khan’s case. A CBP spokesperson provided a general statement explaining that under U.S. immigration law, applicants for admission bear the burden of proving their eligibility to enter the country and must overcome all grounds of inadmissibility.

Pressure From Advocacy Groups

Reports at the time suggested that Khan’s questioning may have been influenced by organized opposition to his U.S. visit. The American Islamic Leadership Coalition had reportedly written to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting that Khan’s U.S. visa be revoked. The group characterized the visa as a significant error and argued that allowing Khan to fundraise in the United States ran counter to both Pakistani interests and U.S. national security.

PTI Demands Formal Apology

Ali Zaidi, an official in Khan’s party, called for a prompt and thorough inquiry into the episode and demanded an unconditional apology from the U.S. government. Khan himself stated that while he was disappointed to miss the fundraising event in New York, nothing would change his stance on the drone strike issue.