ISLAMABAD: In response to the United States House of Representatives’ vote calling for an investigation into alleged irregularities in Pakistan’s parliamentary elections, the National Assembly passed a resolution on Friday condemning the US Congress’s action as “contrary to facts” and interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.
The resolution, tabled by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Shaista Pervaiz Malik, was approved by a majority in the National Assembly amidst opposition protests.
This move by the National Assembly came a day after the US congressional resolution, passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 368-7, which demanded a “full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities” in Pakistan’s February 8 elections.
The Pakistani resolution expressed disappointment over US House Resolution 901, stating it was based on incorrect information and reiterated Pakistan’s stance against any interference in its sovereignty as an independent state. The National Assembly also called for bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US to be based on mutual respect.
Criticizing the US interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, Shaista Pervaiz Malik accused opposition lawmakers of undermining Pakistan’s sovereignty by encouraging such interventions.
The resolution highlighted that the US House’s action was a result of incomplete information and misunderstandings regarding Pakistan’s political and electoral processes.
It lamented that the US resolution disregarded the legitimate exercise of voting rights by millions of Pakistanis in the nationwide polls.
Shaista Pervaiz Malik urged the US Congress to play a constructive role in strengthening bilateral ties and focus on mutual interests. She also called on the US Congress to address serious human rights issues in Gaza and Kashmir.
The resolution faced opposition from lawmakers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), who protested by chanting slogans and tearing copies of the resolution in the House.
The US House of Representatives’ resolution has stirred a strong reaction from Islamabad, with the Foreign Office criticizing it as stemming from a limited understanding of Pakistan’s political situation and electoral processes.
