Khawaja Asif stated that America should review its 100-year record on democracy, he was reacting to the American representatives’ resolution on election irregularities in the February election.
Khawaja Asif said, “I ask America how many democratic governments it has overthrown in the past 100 years. How many military coups has Washington supported?”
Khawaja further stated, “In Vietnam, South America, and the Middle East, millions of lives were lost, thriving societies were destroyed, and countries like Libya, Iraq, and Syria were devastated.”
He added, “Today, the biggest facilitator of the massacre of Palestinians is America.”
The Pakistani Foreign Office has criticized a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives calling for an ‘independent’ investigation into allegations of election irregularities. According to Radio Pakistan, the Foreign Office issued a statement on Wednesday saying such resolutions are neither ‘constructive nor purposeful.’
The U.S. House voted 368-7 on Wednesday to pass the resolution, condemning efforts to suppress the Pakistani people’s participation in democracy. The resolution condemned ‘harassment, intimidation, violence, arbitrary detention, restrictions on access to the internet and telecommunications, and any violations of civil or political rights.’
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Resolution 901 stated that the purpose of the document is to support democracy and human rights in Pakistan.
In the general elections held in Pakistan in February, the nationwide shutdown of mobile internet, arrests, pre-election violence, and unusually delayed results caused harm, leading to allegations of vote rigging.
Resolution 901 of the House said that its purpose is to support democracy and human rights in Pakistan.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, responding to the resolution, said, “We believe in constructive dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding. Such resolutions are neither constructive nor purposeful.”
Zahra Baloch pointed out that Pakistan is the second-largest parliamentary democracy and the fifth-largest democratic country in the world. She said the country is committed to constitutional values, human rights, and the rule of law.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch expressed hope that the U.S. Congress will play a ‘supportive role’ in focusing on mutual cooperation (Photo: Foreign Office).
She added, “We believe that the timing and context of this particular resolution are not consistent with the positive dynamics of our bilateral relations.”
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan hopes that the U.S. Congress will play a ‘supportive role’ in strengthening bilateral relations and focusing on mutual cooperation.
Commenting on this development, Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, said that the margin of the vote for the resolution was significant.
He noted in a social media post, “85% of the House members voted on it, and 98% voted in favor of the resolution. This is quite significant.”
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has raised questions about the legitimacy of Pakistan’s elections. After being deprived of its cricket bat symbol, the party had to contest the elections as independent candidates.
PTI-supported candidates emerged as the largest block in the National Assembly.