The U.S. Congress has declined to recognise Pakistan’s 2024 general elections as free and fair.
In a decisive vote, the U.S. Congress passed Resolution 7, with 368 in favour and only 7 against, mandating a full and independent investigation into the recent elections in Pakistan. The resolution reflects concerns about electoral integrity and democratic processes.
Representing a significant majority, 85% of the U.S. House of Representatives members, which equals 368 members, endorsed a resolution that calls for comprehensive and transparent scrutiny of the alleged electoral malpractices in Pakistan’s February 2024 general elections. The resolution also strongly condemns severe human rights abuses linked to the electoral process.
The resolution explicitly calls for a “full and independent investigation” into Pakistan’s elections and denounces any efforts to undermine the democratic participation of the Pakistani people through “harassment, intimidation, violence, and arbitrary detention.”
Further emphasizing support for democratic principles, the resolution advocates for “free and fair elections that truly reflect the will of the Pakistani people.”
Highlighting the concerns raised, Representative Dan Kildee remarked that Pakistan’s most recent election “was not conducted under conditions that credible election observers would deem free or fair.”
The statements from the US congressmen and resolution underscore the international scrutiny and the call for heightened transparency in Pakistan’s electoral processes.