 "Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif off to a rocky start as US repeats poll probe demand")
The US State Department on March 5 once again called on the newly elected government in Pakistan to conduct a detailed investigation into the alleged electoral irregularities in the country's recently concluded and controversial election exercise.
However, a day before the US reiterated the need for such a probe, Washington also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with Islamabad under the newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Washington also congratulated Maryam Nawaz on her election as the first woman chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. "The selection of Maryam Nawaz as the Chief Minister of the Punjab province is a milestone in Pakistani politics," the US said.
During a news briefing on March 5, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated the White House's commitment to working with the new government in Islamabad. "There was a competitive election 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 "there were reported irregularities." The US official said, "There have been challenges brought by political parties to the results. We want to see those challenges, those irregularities fully investigated." Miller stressed the importance of a complete and thorough investigation to clarify the situation.
Mounting troubles
Miller's remarks come after 31 members of Congress, led by the American Democratic Party's Gregorio Casar, wrote a letter to US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the US government to not acknowledge the 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-poll rigging in Pakistan's recent parliamentary elections. The letter urged the US government to withhold recognition of a new government in Pakistan until a thorough, transparent, and credible investigation of election interference has been conducted. It also called on the US government to urge Pakistani authorities to release anyone who has been detained for engaging in political speech or activity, and to task the US State Department officials in Pakistan with gathering 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 further corruption, including the potential for a halt in military and other cooperation.
Condemning any government-imposed shutdowns of internet platforms, State Department's Miller also stressed Washington's commitment to freedom of expression in Pakistan. He underlined that the State Department had condemned the partial or complete government-imposed shutdown of internet platforms, including Twitter or X, in the past too. "We have and will continue to emphasise the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms during our engagements with Pakistani officials," he said.
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Pakistan's response so far
On March 1, Pakistan dismissed the United States' "direction" to probe alleged electoral discrepancies. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that no country could give directions to Pakistan. Responding to comments made by US officials on allegations of misconduct in the elections held on February 8, Baloch said, "We believe in our own sovereign right to make decisions about Pakistan's internal affairs."
Why is the US concerned?
On March 4, Shehbaz Sharif took oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan, taking over the country's reins for the second time. The 72-year-old had earlier served as Prime Minister of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023. Sharif was elected as PM for the first time after ousting Imran Khan through a vote of no confidence. The brother of former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz took over as PM days after the PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party agreed on a power-sharing deal to form a coalition government. The February 8 polls in Pakistan were marred by allegations of vote rigging. PM Shehbaz also faces a challenge from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which has promised to keep protesting the alleged manipulation of the election results.
What's at stake for Pakistan?
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Prime Minister's office, Shehbaz Sharif on March 5 directed his country's authorities to expedite negotiations for a new loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as Pakistan's $3 billion bailout programme is scheduled to end in April. In February, Bloomberg had reported that Pakistan was planning to seek a new loan of at least $6 billion from the IMF as Islamabad has to repay billions of dollars in debt due this year. However, with continuing political troubles at home and mounting pressure abroad, especially in Washington, Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan's path to a new IMF loan could get tougher in the days to come.
(With agency inputs)