Pakistan to counter US Congress resolution criticising February 8 general elections

Islamabad: Pakistan announced on Thursday that it will counter a US Congress resolution criticising the February 8 general elections and allegations of rigging by bringing a resolution in its Parliament.

The announcement was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the floor of the National Assembly, after the US House of Representatives through a resolution demanded a thorough and independent investigation into elections in Pakistan.

Dar said that the government would “bring a resolution to counter this (US) resolution” with the permission of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “We must show our sovereignty, we must show our unity, we must show that we mean business,” he said.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader stated that the government had taken notice of the US resolution and that a draft resolution was ready, which would also be shared with the opposition and urged for unity with a clear resolution against the US resolution.

He also noted that the resolution would be passed once the 2024-25 budget debate concluded.

Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) responded to the US resolution by saying that it lacked understanding of the country’s political situation and electoral process.

“We believe that the timing and context of this particular resolution does not align well with the positive dynamics of our bilateral ties,” the FO said.

The resolution passed by the US Congress on Tuesday by an overwhelming 368-7 vote urged US President Joe Biden to collaborate with Pakistan in upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

It emphasised the importance of free and fair elections, calling for a thorough and independent investigation into any claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s 2024 elections.

The resolution emphasised the need for Pakistani public participation in the democratic process, months after the general elections were contested as rigged.

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is among those opposing the election results, citing significant obstacles faced by its candidates, leading them to run as independents without their iconic bat symbol due to a legal battle with the Election Commission of Pakistan.