‘No right to interfere’: Pakistan hits back at US over election monitoring | Politics News

Islamabad, Pakistan — Pakistan accused the United States of trying to “interfere” in the country’s internal affairs, hours after the US House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday casting doubt on the credibility of the country’s February general elections.

The resolution called for a “full and independent” investigation into allegations of fraud in Pakistan’s general elections, which former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party claims were rigged to deny it a victory.

Pakistan’s terse response highlighted problems plaguing its relations with the United States, once a key geopolitical partner, but analysts said it was unlikely to derail recent efforts to stabilize the relationship.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Barosh said on Wednesday that Pakistan believes in “constructive dialogue” and engagement, but that such a solution is “neither constructive nor objective.”

“We believe that the timing and context of this resolution is not in keeping with the trend of good relations between the two countries and stems from a lack of understanding of Pakistan’s political situation and electoral process,” Baloch added.

Defense Minister Khwaja Asif also criticized the resolution, suggesting the United States needed to do more to ensure transparency in the country’s general elections, scheduled for later this year.

“The United States has no right to interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs,” he said in a television interview on Wednesday.

In a previous post on X, Asif also questioned the US’s track record of engaging in the removal of foreign governments in the past, referring to its support for Israel during the ongoing war in Gaza.

“This is coming from a country that has overthrown democratically elected governments throughout the 20th century and is now promoting the genocide of Palestinians,” he wrote.

What does the resolution say?

House Resolution 901 was introduced in November by Republican Rep. Rich McCormick and co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Daniel Kildee.

The resolution, titled “Expressing support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan,” was introduced in parliament on June 25 and urges the Pakistani government to “uphold its democratic and electoral system” and condemns any attempt to violate the “human, civil and political rights” of Pakistani people.

The resolution was passed with an overwhelming majority of 368 members in favor and seven against.

The PTI welcomed the passing of the resolution, claiming that it had been stripped of its mandate despite winning the most seats (93) in the February 8 elections.

Former president Arif Alvi, also a senior PTI official, called it a step in the “right direction”.

“What a powerful rebuke (368-7) of the US Congress for undermining Pakistan’s democratic process,” he wrote to X.

A strong condemnation (368-7) of the US Congress for undermining Pakistan’s democratic process, moving forward in the right direction towards democracy, rule of law and civilian control over the military (not treason), in line with our Constitution. pic.twitter.com/fSVHAYwjNn

— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) June 26, 2024

Pakistan held a general election three months later than originally scheduled. Although the Election Commission of Pakistan refused to allow the PTI to use its election symbol, candidates backed by the party won 93 seats, more than any other party. However, this was still not enough to secure a majority, and the PTI claimed it was disenfranchised.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 75 and 54 seats respectively, and took power in coalition with smaller parties.

“signal”

Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, the United Nations and the UK, said the non-binding resolution merely reflected parliament’s opinion and concerns about the situation in Pakistan.

“This resolution does not create tension in US-Pakistan relations. It sends a signal to the Biden administration about the sentiments of Congress and does not call for any action from Washington,” she told Al Jazeera.

“This highlights the need for Pakistan to lobby parliament more effectively,” she added.

Khan, founder of the PTI and Pakistan’s prime minister from August 2018 to April 2022, alleged that the United States conspired with Pakistan’s army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and political opponents to remove him from power.

These allegations have been repeatedly denied by both Washington and the Pakistani military.

Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on various charges, specifically accused State Department official Donald Lew of conveying a message to Pakistan’s then-ambassador to the US, Asad Majeed, requesting that Khan be fired because of his ties with Russia during the Ukraine war.

In March of this year, Lew denied all the allegations as “false” at a congressional hearing.

Following Pakistan’s elections, U.S. President Joe Biden congratulated Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Liechtenstein People’s Movement (PMLN) on taking the oath of office as prime minister, signaling a possible improvement in relations between the two countries that have been frosty for many years. The shift in relations between the two governments was also evident in a State Department briefing on June 26, when the U.S. endorsed a new counterterrorism campaign launched by Pakistan earlier this week.

“We support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism, ensure the safety and security of its people, promote the rule of law and protect human rights,” spokesman Matthew Miller said.

Former Foreign Minister Salman al-Bashir said the overwhelming support for the resolution reflected the view of the US Congress, but added that the resolution would not hinder ties between the two countries.

“I don’t think this resolution will be an issue for improving relations. Once the domestic response is shown, the two countries will continue to pursue a mutually beneficial relationship,” he told Al Jazeera.

Foreign policy expert Muhammad Faisal said the US resolution did not put much pressure on the Pakistani government, describing it as a matter of “domestic US politics” in which the votes of Pakistani Americans in some districts were crucial.

Faisal, however, pointed out the PTI’s “inconsistent” views on the US.

“Two years ago, the PTI accused the US of orchestrating regime change, a charge that was denied in a House of Representatives committee hearing. Now the PTI is expecting coercive action from the US, which is highly unlikely,” he told Al Jazeera.

Mosharraf Zaidi of Islamabad-based policy think tank Tabadrab said foreign governments could try to pressure Pakistan to align with their interests but that has “rarely” achieved the desired results.

But tensions with the U.S. could be uncomfortable for the Pakistani government and its influential military, he said.

“The primary issues in Pakistan-US relations are not democracy or freedom, but economy and security,” he said. “Nevertheless, mishandling the PTI’s legitimate grievances will continue to pose challenges both at home and abroad.”