Islamabad, June 27: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said the government is planning a tit-for-tat response to the US House of Representatives’ resolution demanding an investigation into the February 8 elections.
Speaking during a National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Dar addressed the concerns raised by the US resolution, which called for impartial investigations into allegations of irregularities and interference in Pakistan’s general elections held on February 8.
Dar took to the floor of the National Assembly and said that with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s permission, the government would “bring a resolution to counter this (US) resolution”.
“We must show our sovereignty, we must show our unity, we must show that we mean business,” the deputy PM added. “We can also criticise 50 things over here with regards to other countries. But we refrain; I believe there is mutual dignity and respect in this only that they also reciprocate what we do,” Dar said during his speech.
On Wednesday, US lawmakers criticised the Pakistani elections as being rigged and passed the HR 901 resolution titled ‘Expressing support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan’, highlighting the United States’ commitment to promoting democratic values globally.
The resolution — passed with 85 per cent of House members participating and 98pc voting in its favour — had urged US President Joe Biden to collaborate with Pakistan in upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
It had 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 Pakistan Foreign Office responded just hours later to the US move, condemning it, saying that the resolution stemmed from an “incomplete 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 had asserted.
“We believe in constructive dialogue and engagement based on mutual respect and understanding,” it said, adding that such resolutions were neither constructive nor objective.
In his address in the NA, Dar rejected the impression that Pakistan was facing global isolation, adding that Pakistan was recently elected as the United Nations Security Council’s non-permanent member, thus demonstrating the international community’s trust in the incumbent government.
Meanwhile, the PTI welcomed the US resolution, terming it a move in the right direction.
“A positive push in the right direction, along the lines of our own constitution, for democracy, rule of law, civilian control over our armed forces (not vice versa), personal freedoms, etc,” PTI’s Arif Alvi said on X.
The deputy PM also urged the opposition to cooperate on a constitutional amendment to grant voting rights to overseas Pakistanis. “I am ready to discuss giving voting rights to overseas Pakistanis,” he said.
