State Department Says Pakistan Did Not Complain About Gay Pride Event

The U.S. State Department says Pakistan did not file an official complaint over a Gay Pride event held at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad last month.

The June 26 event was co-hosted by the U.S. deputy ambassador, Richard Hoagland, and the affinity group Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA), and was attended by over 75 people, including U.S. Embassy officials, military representatives, foreign diplomats and leaders of the Pakistani LGBT advocacy groups, the Associated Press reported.

According to the United Nations, gay sex is illegal in Pakistan and offenders face up to 2 years imprisonment.

The event sparked several demonstrations critical of the move and was condemned by a group of conservative Islamic political and religious officials.

“Such people are the curse of society and social garbage,” the group said in a statement. “They don't deserve to be Muslim or Pakistani, and the support and protection announced by the U.S. administration for them is the worst social and cultural terrorism against Pakistan.”

Hoagland told the crowd at the meeting that the U.S. would support LGBT rights in the country.

“I want to be clear: the U.S. Embassy is here to support you and stand by your side every step of the way,” Hoagland reportedly said.

In a statement issued Friday, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the Pakistani government had not complained about the event.

“On June 26, the United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan hosted a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Pride event. This gathering, attended by U.S. Mission personnel, representatives of the diplomatic community, and Pakistani civil society leaders, demonstrated continued U.S. Embassy support for human rights, including GLBT rights, in Pakistan. We have not received any official complaint from the Pakistani government over the event.”