AGL 41.00 Increased By ▲ 0.55 (1.36%)
AIRLINK 127.91 Decreased By ▼ -1.61 (-1.24%)
BOP 6.73 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.44%)
CNERGY 4.58 Increased By ▲ 0.46 (11.17%)
DCL 8.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-1.83%)
DFML 41.35 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-0.39%)
DGKC 87.00 Decreased By ▼ -1.02 (-1.16%)
FCCL 33.34 Decreased By ▼ -0.59 (-1.74%)
FFBL 65.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.72 (-1.09%)
FFL 10.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.15 (-1.41%)
HUBC 110.70 Decreased By ▼ -2.75 (-2.42%)
HUMNL 15.40 Decreased By ▼ -0.50 (-3.14%)
KEL 4.98 Increased By ▲ 0.14 (2.89%)
KOSM 7.43 Decreased By ▼ -0.18 (-2.37%)
MLCF 42.98 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.02%)
NBP 60.40 Decreased By ▼ -0.81 (-1.32%)
OGDC 199.01 Increased By ▲ 7.60 (3.97%)
PAEL 29.05 Increased By ▲ 2.19 (8.15%)
PIBTL 8.26 Increased By ▲ 1.00 (13.77%)
PPL 155.07 Increased By ▲ 5.00 (3.33%)
PRL 25.03 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.2%)
PTC 16.10 Decreased By ▼ -0.18 (-1.11%)
SEARL 78.45 Increased By ▲ 7.13 (10%)
TELE 7.41 Increased By ▲ 0.17 (2.35%)
TOMCL 36.15 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-0.17%)
TPLP 8.08 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (1%)
TREET 15.94 Decreased By ▼ -0.34 (-2.09%)
TRG 53.29 Increased By ▲ 1.68 (3.26%)
UNITY 26.75 Decreased By ▼ -0.49 (-1.8%)
WTL 1.27 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
Pakistan

US concerned about reports of intimidation, voter suppression in Pakistan election, White House says

Published February 16, 2024
Volunteers for former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) look on as they watch results on TV screens in Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo: Reuters
Volunteers for former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) look on as they watch results on TV screens in Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo: Reuters

WASHINGTON: The United States is concerned about reports of intimidation and voter suppression in Pakistan’s election, the White House said on Thursday after reports of protests in some parts of the country.

Pakistan’s election last week did not return a clear majority for anyone but independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan won 92 out of 264 seats, making them the largest group.

‘Proof of extensive electoral fraud’: PTI to present Forms-45 at 2pm today

Questions have been raised about the fairness of the February 8 election both inside Pakistan as well as in major foreign capitals, with Washington having previously said there were “undue restrictions” on freedoms of expressions and assembly.

“We are watching this very, very closely,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday, expressing concern about “intimidation and voter suppression.”

“International monitors are still taking a look at those tallies, I’m not going to get ahead of that process,” he added about the vote count.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday reacted sharply to questions raised on the credibility of the February 8 polls, saying the election is an internal sovereign affair and any step taken in this regard is in conformity with the country’s own constitutional obligations and not because of any advice from the foreign governments.

Speaking at her weekly media briefing in response to journalists’ queries, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Pakistan is a democracy and the people of the country have voted in tens of millions with unprecedented numbers of women and young voters who participated in the exercise on polling day.

“Elections in Pakistan is an internal sovereign affair of Pakistan…Pakistan has also welcomed foreign observers including the ‘Commonwealth Observer Group’. In that context, Pakistan has shown a willingness to be transparent in the election process,” she said.

However, she added that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is the relevant body that will comment and respond to any queries regarding the election process or any complaint if any individual in Pakistan has on the electoral process.

“As far as the (concerns by) foreign governments are concerned our view is clear that Pakistan undertakes its constitutional obligations seriously. It’s the right of the people of Pakistan to enjoy freedoms and democracy. Any step that Pakistan takes in this regard, is in conformity with our own constitutional obligations and not because of any advice from the foreign governments,” she emphasised while responding to the concerns of some foreign countries.

The spokesperson’s remarks come in response to statements from certain countries including the US, the UK, the European Union (EU), and Australia, questioning the credibility of the country’s February 8 general polls and urged a probe into the claims of “restrictions, fraud and interference” in the general elections.

Comments

Comments are closed.

KU Feb 16, 2024 01:59pm
Its actually much worse and injustice is afoot to save face by ECP and the king makers. We should accept that we have become a colony for the opportunists to plunder wealth and it must be stopped.
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Javed Iqbal Feb 17, 2024 08:03am
How much tax will be charged on sale and purchase of filer and non-filer property in 2023 2024
thumb_up Recommended (0)