US stresses fair polls in Pakistan

Blinken congratulates Kakar on assuming office

ISLAMABAD:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday congratulated Anwaarul Haq Kakar on his appointment as the caretaker prime minister, saying that Washington would continue to support Islamabad’s efforts aimed at achieving economic prosperity.

“Congratulations to new Pakistan Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar. As Pakistan prepares for free and fair elections, in accordance with its Constitution and the rights of freedom of speech and assembly, we will continue to advance our shared commitment to economic prosperity,” Blinken said in a statement shared on microblogging website X.

Congratulations to new Pakistan Interim Prime Minister @anwaar_kakar. As Pakistan prepares for free and fair elections, in accordance with its constitution and the rights to freedom of speech and assembly, we will continue to advance our shared commitment to economic prosperity.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 16, 2023

The secretary of state has recently been quite active on commenting on the developments in Pakistan as he previously also issued a statement after Pakistan managed to secure a standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The US said its ties with Pakistan centre around democratic principles and rule of law, and those would continue to guide the future cooperation between the two countries.

Observers interpret this as an indication that the Biden administration wants no delay in the parliamentary elections in Pakistan.

As per the Constitution, elections are supposed to take place within 90 days. But people aren’t sure elections will take place on time.

One of the key factors includes the new digital census results approved by the PDM government during its last week in office.

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The approval of the census results means that elections will have to take place under the census. For this purpose, the Election Commission of Pakistan will have to redraw the constitutions. The entire exercise may take up to four months. The former opposition leader in the National Assembly Raja Riaz in one of his interviews claimed that polls will take place in February next year.

Kakar took to X to express his gratitude to Blinken, saying: “Thank you.”

He said, “The interim government will be assiduously working to facilitate a free and fair election process in Pakistan according to the Constitution.”

The interim PM added, “We place importance on our partnership with the US and deeply value the shared commitment to economic prosperity, democracy and stability in the region.”

Meanwhile, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said the support encompasses various domains, notably the facilitation of transparent and equitable elections, as well as cooperation in areas that contribute to Pakistan's economic stability, prosperity, and overall security.

Patel, responding to an inquiry from a correspondent of a private Pakistani television channel during his routine news briefing, expressed the US anticipation of collaborative engagement with the interim prime minister and his team.

He emphasised the ongoing partnership with Pakistan, highlighting the joint commitment to upholding democracy and the rule of law, while stressing the importance of fair electoral practices.

Patel affirmed that the United States was in regular dialogue with Pakistani leadership, engaging in comprehensive discussions on Afghanistan through mechanisms such as counterterrorism dialogues and bilateral consultations.

He addressed the pressing concern regarding the utilisation of military equipment left in Afghanistan by terrorist groups and its potential impact on Pakistan's security.

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In response to claims that such equipment was being employed against Pakistan by entities like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Da’ish/ISIS, Patel reassured that the US shares a vested interest with Pakistan in safeguarding regional stability.

He underscored their collective commitment to countering militant and terrorist groups.

He also acknowledged Pakistan's own efforts in combatting terrorism, emphasising the importance of maintaining citizens' safety and security within a framework that upholds the principles of the rule of law.

While addressing the specifics of measures taken to address the concerns around the use of military equipment, Patel referred the matter to the US Department of Defense, refraining from providing further details during the news conference. He reiterated the commitment to working alongside Pakistan to combat threats to regional stability and expressed the US government's continued support for Pakistan's endeavours in this regard.

(With additional input from APP)