On Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) stated that no nation could instruct Pakistan to probe claims of election fraud from February 8, reiterating Pakistan’s belief in its “sovereign right” to decide on domestic affairs.
“Pakistan is a vibrant democracy and there are mechanisms in place inside Pakistan where Pakistani people can resolve any issue pertaining to questions relating to elections or any issue relating to the democratic process in Pakistan,” remarked FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at the weekly briefing in Islamabad.
In answering a question regarding the US government’s repeated statements, she asked Pakistan to investigate the vote fraud. I don’t think any nation can tell Pakistan what to do. Pakistan stands alone as a sovereign nation. The ability to decide on matters pertaining to Pakistan’s internal affairs is something we hold in high regard, she continued.
In addition to the official US response, some US congressmen have sent a letter to Vice President Biden requesting that the US withhold recognition of Pakistan’s newly elected government pending the outcome of investigations into claims of election fraud.
We are aware that a number of members of Congress have written to the US Secretary of State in this manner. The government of Pakistan is not the intended recipient of this message; rather, it is a conversation between American governmental officials. “Therefore, we do not have any remarks to make regarding such letters,” the representative stated.
Mumtaz remained silent on the matter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) letter to the IMF, in which the Washington-based lender was asked to engage in negotiations with only a lawful administration.
According to the spokesperson, Pakistan has been in touch with US authorities on the recent arrest of four individuals who are thought to be Pakistanis. They are accused of transferring weapons from Iran to Yemen.
We are aware of the allegations because we have reviewed the news release from the US Department of Justice. In order to gather additional information about the situation and grant consular access to the individuals once their nationality has been confirmed, we are in communication with the US Embassy in Islamabad and our mission in Washington, she added.
On January 11, the US Navy Seals carried out an operation in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia and captured the suspects. Armed mercenaries were allegedly supplied to the Houthis in Yemen by the principal suspect, Muhammad Pehlwan. Three others were said to have provided misleading testimony.
According to the spokesperson, there is no evidence to support the claims that Pakistan has already communicated with specific countries about their worries with the long-delayed multibillion-dollar Iran gas pipeline project.
According to her, the Iran-Pakistan pipeline has already been decided upon by the Cabinet Committee on Energy.
As a major undertaking representing the friendship between Iran and Pakistan, the pipeline project is highly significant to Pakistan. She went on to say that the future of Pakistan’s energy mix will include the Iran-Pakistan pipeline and other projects aimed at ensuring the country’s energy security.
Work on the 80-kilometer segment of the pipeline, which lies within Pakistani territory, can resume, according to her, because the suggestions were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Energy.
This is the most recent information I am able to provide you at this time. According to her, “I would prefer not to comment on speculative reporting” because she was confused by some media items she saw yesterday.
