Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
However, a day before the US reiterated the need for such an investigation, Washington also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with Islamabad under newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Washington also congratulated Maryam Nawaz on her election as the first female chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province. “The election of Maryam Nawaz as chief minister of Punjab province is a milestone in Pakistani politics,” the US said.
At a March 5 news briefing, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller reiterated the White House’s commitment to working with the new administration in Islamabad. “There were competitive elections in Pakistan. Millions and millions of people made their voices heard,” Miller said, adding, “A new government has been formed, and we will of course work with that government.” However, Miller also acknowledged that irregularities had been reported. The US official said: “There have been challenges with the results by political parties. We want these challenges and irregularities to be fully investigated.” Miller stressed the importance of a full and thorough investigation to clarify the situation.
Assembly problems
Miller’s comments come after 31 members of Congress, led by Gregorio Casar of the US Democratic Party, wrote a letter to US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the US government to new Pakistani government. On February 28, these US lawmakers, all of whom are Democrats like President Biden, wrote a joint letter expressing concerns about alleged pre- and post-election rigging in Pakistan’s recent parliamentary elections. The letter urges the US government to suspend recognition of a new government in Pakistan until a thorough, transparent and credible investigation into election interference is conducted. It also called on the US government to urge Pakistani authorities to release anyone detained for participating in political speech or activities, and to direct US State Department officials in Pakistan to collect information about such cases and advocating for their release. Finally, it also called on the US government to make clear to Pakistani authorities that US laws provide for accountability for acts that violate human rights, undermine democracy or promote corruption, including the possibility of an end to military and other cooperation .
The results of elections in Pakistan must represent the will of the people.
In the interest of democracy and all Pakistanis, we call on the Biden administration to suspend recognition of a new government until investigations prove that the elections were not tampered. pic.twitter.com/SeVoH2Bqxh
— Congressman Greg Casar (@RepCasar) February 28, 2024
Miller condemned any government-imposed shutdown of internet platforms and also emphasized Washington’s commitment to freedom of expression in Pakistan. He underlined that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also in the past condemned the partial or complete closure of internet platforms, including Twitter and X. “We have and will continue to emphasize the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms in our discussions with Pakistani officials,” he said.
Pakistan’s response so far
On March 1, Pakistan rejected the United States’ “directive” to investigate alleged electoral discrepancies. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that no country could give directions to Pakistan. Responding to comments from US officials about allegations of misconduct in the February 8 elections, Baloch said: “We believe in our own sovereign right to make decisions on Pakistan’s internal affairs.”
Why is the US concerned?
On March 4, Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, taking over the country’s leadership for the second time. The 72-year-old had previously served as prime minister of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023. Sharif was elected prime minister for the first time after ousting Imran Khan in a vote of no confidence. Shehbaz, brother of former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, took over as Prime Minister days after the PML-N and Pakistan People’s Party agreed on a power-sharing deal to create a to form a coalition government. Pakistan’s February 8 elections were marred by allegations of electoral fraud. Prime Minister Shehbaz is also facing a challenge from former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which has vowed to continue protesting the alleged manipulation of the election results.
What is at stake for Pakistan?
According to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister’s office, Shehbaz Sharif on March 5 instructed his country’s authorities to speed up negotiations on a new loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program is expected to end April will end. In February, Bloomberg had reported that Pakistan planned to apply for a new loan of at least $6 billion from the IMF as Islamabad needs to repay billions of dollars in debt this year. But ongoing political problems at home and mounting pressure abroad, especially in Washington, could make Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s path to a new IMF loan more difficult in the coming days.
(With input from the agency)
First print: March 6, 2024 | 3:33 PM IST