ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Thursday reacted sharply to the questions raised by certain Western countries on the credibility of the February 8 polls, saying the election is an internal sovereign affair of Pakistan 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.
In response to another question, Baloch pointed out that the interim report of the Commonwealth observer group also highlighted the transparency and participatory nature of the general elections.
As far as the suspension of mobile phone networks is concerned, she said that the relevant institutions have issued detailed statements in this regard.
When her comment was sought on caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s remarks in which he has indicated consideration of recognition of the Afghan interim government, she explained that Pakistan’s policy with regard to the Afghan interim government has not changed and any future decision in this regard will be taken by the newly-elected political government. As far as the acceptance of credentials from Afghan ambassador by Chinese President Xi is concerned, she stated that China accepted the credentials under their own internal laws and Pakistan will look into the matter as per its own laws and its own national interest.
Speaking about the continued Israeli aggression against Palestinian people, she said that Pakistan endorses the statement of OIC strongly condemning the ongoing Israeli military aggression against Gaza and the expansion of indiscriminate attacks on the Rafah city.
She said the OIC has raised alarm on expansion and escalation of the pace of the Israeli aggression and warned against an unacceptable attempt to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their own land.
She added that Israel’s merciless onslaught against the 1.4 million displaced people in Rafah is a blatant defiance of the provisional measures outlined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its interim order.
She called on the UN Security Council to fulfil its responsibility and urgently intervene to impose a ceasefire and bring an end to the massacre of the Palestinian people. She said the siege of Gaza must be lifted to prevent further deaths and suffering from famine and non-availability of decent medical care. “Pakistan stands resolute in its unwavering diplomatic, moral, political, and humanitarian support to the besieged people of Gaza,” she added.
When asked about the relationship with India, she said that both countries have had a difficult relationship over the last several decades, adding that Pakistan has always expressed a desire to have peaceful relations with all neighbours including India. However, she regretted that India has an approach of belligerence towards Pakistan and the region. “This creates a negative environment for peace and dialogue and makes it difficult to have a normal relationship,” she added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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