ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday rejected the US Department of State’s Investment Climate Statements for 2021 and “unwarranted” comments on Pakistan’s judiciary.
Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said Pakistan takes “strong exception to the gratuitous and unwarranted comments made in the report on Pakistan’s judicial system.”
He added: “The judiciary in Pakistan is independent and the Courts are functioning in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the country. The allegations to the contrary are firmly denied as factually incorrect and misleading.” In its Investment Climate Statements for 2021 released on July 21, the US State Department accused Pakistan’s judiciary of being influenced by the government and other stakeholders.
It alleged: “Pakistan’s judiciary is influenced by the government and other stakeholders. The lower judiciary is influenced by the executive branch and seen as lacking competence and fairness. It currently faces a significant backlog of unresolved cases.”
The publication further alleged that theoretically, Pakistan’s judicial system operates independently but the reality is different. It claimed, “there are doubts concerning the competence, fairness, and reliability of Pakistan’s judicial system.”
The FO spokesperson said as a vibrant democracy, the government of “Pakistan firmly believes in the separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of the State. There is no question of any coercion or pressure on Pakistan’s judiciary. The baseless assertions made in the report are contradicted by innumerable decisions by Pakistani courts at all levels that meet the highest standards of judicial independence.”
He said while the statement acknowledges the progress made and reforms undertaken by Pakistan in improving its business and investment climate, despite extremely difficult circumstances due to the Pandemic, it speculates on alleged shortcomings in Pakistan’s regulatory framework and bases its conclusions on unverifiable sources.
“Mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of economy, trade and investment with the international community including the US is one of the key priorities of the government of Pakistan. We will continue to take steps to optimally realize Pakistan’s geo-economic potential,” it said.
