‘Interference in internal affairs’.
ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution regretting the resolution passed by the US House of Representatives, stating that Pakistan, as an independent and sovereign country, will not accept any interference in its internal affairs. The resolution was passed amid a noisy protest of the opposition members.
The resolution, moved by Shaista Pervaiz Malik, further asserted that the US resolution reflects an incomplete and erroneous understanding of Pakistan’s political and electoral processes.
It highlighted that the US resolution fails to acknowledge the free and enthusiastic exercise of voting rights by millions of Pakistanis in the recently held General Election.
The National Assembly reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding and upholding democratic principles and norms as enshrined in the Constitution, in line with the aspirations of the people and the vision of the country’s founding fathers.
The resolution also brought attention to more pressing issues for the US Congress, such as ongoing acts of genocide in Gaza, gross human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and state-sanctioned atrocities against minorities, especially Muslims, in India.
The House called upon the US and the international community to take immediate steps to alleviate the suffering of innocent people in Gaza and IIOJK.
It expressed hope that in the future, the US Congress will play a more constructive role in strengthening Pakistan-US bilateral relations by focusing on avenues of collaboration for the mutual benefit of both countries.
The resolution called upon the government of Pakistan to enhance bilateral cooperation with the United States by improving channels of communication to dispel such misperceptions and work towards harmonious relationships for the progress and prosperity of people of both countries.
Also, Pakistan on Friday said that Resolution 901 adopted by the US House of Representatives was an “unsolicited interference” in Pakistan’s domestic affairs which was “neither welcome nor acceptable.”
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, at her weekly press briefing, told reporters that the resolution clearly stemmed from an inadequate and erroneous understanding of political and electoral process of Pakistan.
“It is also an unsolicited interference in Pakistan’s domestic affairs. We believe that bilateral relations between countries should be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. The unsolicited interference from the US Congress is therefore neither welcome nor acceptable,” she remarked.
Besides, the spokesperson said the timing and context of the said resolution were also not conducive to the current positive trajectory of bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States.
She said Pakistan would like to develop its relations with the US on the basis of mutual trust and confidence and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs.
Expressing concerns about the continued suppression of the democratic rights of the Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), she said that a few days ago, the Indian authorities banned the elections of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association and arrested former Bar President Mian Qayoom.
The Indian authorities also disallowed Eid congregation at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid and house arrested prayer leader and prominent Kashmir leader Mirwaiz.
“These oppressive measures are yet another example of the autocratic approach of the Indian authorities and a violation of the fundamental freedoms and human rights, especially of the rights of association and peaceful assembly,” she said and reiterated Pakistan’s stance for continued political, diplomatic, and moral support to Kashmiri people for just and peaceful settlement of the dispute as per the UN Security Council resolutions.
The spokesperson strongly condemned the indiscriminate bombing of Beit Lahia city in Northern Gaza by the Israeli forces, killing women and children.
“Pakistan deplores Israel’s actions as war crimes against the people of Gaza and emphasizes the urgent need for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to prevent further civilian casualties,” she stressed.
Spokesperson Baloch informed the media that the government had appointed Additional Foreign Secretary (Middle East and SIFC) Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Washington and Asim Iftikhar, currently serving as Pakistan’s envoy in France, as Pakistan’s Additional Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
She apprised the media of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar’s address at the Institute of Strategic Studies here wherein he called for leveraging Pakistan’s strategic location and advocating for international cooperation over confrontation, with firm support for multilateralism, promoting peaceful relations and regional stability to foster sustainable economic development.
Dar had emphasized the importance of humanitarian cooperation in Afghanistan and ensuring that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism against its neighbors, besides seeking peaceful relations with India based on mutual respect, resolving the Kashmir dispute, and rejuvenating SAARC while rejecting India’s unilateral actions in IIOJK.
She mentioned the 18th round of bilateral political consultations between Pakistan and Sweden held on June 26 in which two sides reviewed the breadth of bilateral cooperation and agreed to enhance cooperation, aiming for a comprehensive relationship grounded in strong economic ties.
The spokesperson also highlighted that Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia and Pacific) Ambassador Imran Siddiqui represented Pakistan at the 19th meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) held in Tehran where he emphasized the significance of promoting regional connectivity and leveraging complementarities among member states.