Congressmen in the US are pressuring President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to hold off on recognizing a new Pakistani administration until claims of election manipulation have been fully looked into.
In their combined letter, the lawmakers—all Democrats, like President Biden—expressed worries about pre- and post-election manipulation in Pakistan’s most recent legislative elections. They have cited evidence of violations and disturbances on election day and demanded a fair and credible investigation prior to the recognition of a new Pakistani administration.
Important progressive Democrats, all 33 of the signatories are necessary to ensure that President Biden receives a second term. A strong “uncommitted” campaign led by activists unhappy with his views on the Gaza war helped him defeat Trump in the most recent Michigan primary by more than 10,000 votes. The Biden camp is quite concerned by this development, particularly since prominent Muslim lawmakers in Michigan have also endorsed the pro-PTI letter.
Three prominent Muslim individuals in Michigan—Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Andre Carson—signed the letter.
The letter has received the support of Pramila Jayapal, the chairperson of the Progressive Caucus and a frequent supporter of the Kashmir cause. The signatures of Whip Greg Casar and Chair Emeritus Barbara Lee have also been added. Among the signatures is Ilhan Omar, who is the Caucus deputy chairman.
The congressmen demanded that State Department representatives obtain information about imprisoned political activists and media people in Pakistan and push for their release, in addition as advising caution in recognizing.
They emphasized the need of communicating to the Pakistani government that US law requires accountability for actions that violate human rights, threaten democracy, or encourage corruption.
The parliamentarians raised issues regarding suspected post-election manipulation, pointing out inconsistencies in vote totals, video proof of irregularities, and delays in results reporting. They cited reports from impartial observers that emphasized the need for an open and reliable audit procedure prior to recognizing a newly elected administration in Pakistan.
The disagreement revolves around differences between the final constituency-wide total and the results of polling places that were given to the candidates. The MPs observed that these conclusions were corroborated by reputable election observers, human rights organizations, and Dawn, the official newspaper of the country.
The legislators contended that maintaining Pakistani democracy and making sure that the electorate’s interests are truly represented in the results of elections rather than those of the military and elite is in line with US interests.
They emphasized the significance of conducting a thorough investigation and upholding democratic values.
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