On Wednesday, the United States House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of an impartial investigation into claims of election manipulation in Pakistan following the February 8 national polls.
The resolution HR901, which passed with a vote of 368-7, underscores the importance of public participation in the democratic process in Pakistan.
Despite the February elections being largely peaceful, they were marred by a nationwide mobile internet shutdown and unusually delayed results, sparking allegations of vote rigging. These accusations were prominently raised by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose candidates were forced to run as independents after losing their party symbol, the cricket bat, due to a legal dispute over an intra-party election deemed flawed by the election authority.
The resolution calls for a “full and independent investigation of claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s February 2024 election.” It condemns efforts to suppress democratic participation through harassment, intimidation, violence, arbitrary detention, internet restrictions, or violations of human, civil, or political rights.
The resolution urges the Pakistani government to uphold democratic and electoral institutions, human rights, and the rule of law, emphasizing the importance of due process, freedom of the press, assembly, and speech. It also condemns any attempts to undermine Pakistan’s political, electoral, or judicial processes.
The vote saw strong bipartisan support, with 85% of House members participating and 98% voting in favor of the resolution.
Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at The Wilson Center in Washington, commented on the vote, saying, “This is quite significant.”