In an overwhelming majority, the US Congress has voted to demand “full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities” in elections held early this year in Pakistan.
The US House resolution 901 was passed by a massive 368 against 7 votes on Tuesday, which makes 85% of the total American lawmakers in Congress.
It also condemned “attempts to suppress the people of Pakistan’s participation in their democracy, including through harassment, intimidation, violence, arbitrary detention, restrictions on access to the internet and telecommunications or any violation of their human, civil, or political rights.”
Pakistan held general elections on Feb 8 with independent candidates backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan winning most of the seats.
However, other parties led by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan People’s Party formed an alliance to keep Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf out of power. Khan, who is in jail since last August, has alleged rigging in the elections. But the caretaker administration, which conducted the polls, rejected the allegations.
The administration had snapped the internet on the polling day while there was a delay in results, triggering widespread allegations of rigging.
The US lawmakers also condemned any “effort to subvert the political, electoral, or judicial processes of Pakistan.”
The resolution called on the President and the Secretary of State to strengthen engagement with the Government of Pakistan to ensure democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are upheld.
It urged the Government of Pakistan to uphold democratic and electoral institutions, human rights, and the rule of law, and respect the fundamental guarantees of due process, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech of the people of Pakistan.
The resolution also condemned what it called attempts to suppress the people of Pakistan’s participation in their democracy, including through harassment, intimidation, violence, arbitrary detention, restrictions on access to the internet and telecommunications, or any violation of their human, civil, or political rights.
It also denounced any effort to subvert the political, electoral, or judicial processes of Pakistan and urged the full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s February 2024 election.
Observers believe that such resolutions are not binding and hence it does not necessarily mean the Biden administration will change its policy towards Pakistan.
The US government in the past, too, demanded independent investigations into the alleged election fraud but at the same time expressed its willingness to work with the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
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