ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution with a majority vote terming the June 25 resolution adopted by the US House of Representatives — seeking probe into the alleged irregularities in the Feb 8 elections — “an interference” in Pakistan’s internal affairs amid noisy protest by the opposition PTI members who voted against it.

After passage of the resolution, the treasury members in their hard-hitting speeches lashed out at the PTI members for opposing the resolution and called them “anti-state” and “traitors”.

While speaking at a news conference after the prorogation of the National Assembly’s budget session, the PTI members justified their act of opposing the resolution, stating they were not taken into confidence before presenting the resolution.

They also indirectly supported the US resolution, stating it could not be termed interference in the country’s internal matters.

House passes resolution amid opposition protest; PTI members vote against resolution

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar while speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday had disclosed that a resolution in response to the one passed by the US would be placed before the House and said: “We must show our sovereignty. We must show our unity. We must show we mean business.”

The opposition members raised anti-government slogans and continued desk-thumping when Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah after passage of the federal budget and the Elections Amendment Bill gave the floor to Shaista Pervaiz of the ruling PML-N to read out the resolution which was not included in the order of the day.

Some opposition members gathered in front of the speaker’s dais and tore apart the documents and copies of the agenda and tossed them in the air as a mark of protest.

After passage of the resolution, Ms Pervaiz said she was feeling ashamed to see the opposition’s protest as Pakistan’s sovereignty had come “under attack” and these PTI members were encouraging those who were interfering in the country’s affairs.

Shagufta Jumani of the PPP said their heads were down with shame over the opposition’s behaviour. She said these protesting members had no right to call themselves Pakistanis.

She said earlier the PTI used to criticise the US over its role in the country’s politics, but today it was supporting the same country. She warned the US to refrain from interfering in Pakistan’s affairs. Accusing the US of spreading terrorism all over the world, she said they would not allow the US to do terrorism in Pakistan.

Ms Jumani recalled that previously the PTI used to say they had nothing to do with the US and today they were thumping the desks in support of the US.

PML-N’s MNA from Rawalpindi Aqeel Malik alleged that the US resolution was the outcome of the efforts of lobbies and the PR firms that had been hired by the PTI. He called the PTI an “anti-state” party which, he said, had a nexus with terrorists. He said the House should have passed this resolution unanimously, but regretted that the party which used to say “absolutely not” had voted against it.

Aasiya Ishaque Siddiqui of the MQM-P alleged that the PTI had joined hands with the US in conspiring against Pakistan.

Text of resolution

While acknowledging the US as an important and valued partner, the NA emphasised the principles of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan and reaffirmed its commitment to upholding democracy and fundamental human rights.

It reiterated Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to safeguard those principles, reflecting the aspirations of its people and the vision of its founding fathers.

The resolution says “an independent and sovereign country like Pakistan will not accept any interference in its internal affairs”, terming the US resolution “an attempt to undermine the state”.

“The House deeply regrets that the subject resolution clearly reflects an incomplete and wrong understanding of the political and electoral processes of Pakistan,” reads the resolution.

It “regrets that the resolution does not acknowledge the free and enthusiastic exercise of the right to vote by millions of Pakistanis in the general elections held on Feb 8”.

“This resolution draws attention of the US Congress to more important issues such as the ongoing acts of genocide in Gaza, gross human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and state-sanctioned atrocities against minorities, especially the Muslims, in India;

“The House calls upon the US and the world community to take immediate steps to alleviate the sufferings of the innocent people of Gaza and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir;

The House encourages and affirms its commitment to strong and cooperative bilateral relations with the US based on mutual respect and sovereign equality; and expresses the hope that in future the US Congress will play a more constructive role in strengthening Pakistan-US bilateral relations by focusing on avenues of collaboration for mutual benefit of both our people and countries;

The House calls upon the Pakistan government to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the US by enhancing channels of communication to allay such misperceptions and work towards a harmonious relationship for the progress and prosperity of the people of both countries.“

Opposition’s press conference

Later, speaking at a news conference outside the Parliament House, PTI leaders criticised the government for approving a counter-resolution against US House of Representatives’ motion and alleged that they were not taken into confidence over the move. They also took exception to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks terming the PTI members “terrorists.”

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that it seemed that the government ministers had perhaps not read the US resolution. He said the US resolution passed by 368 members of the US House of Representatives contained 14 points and the government had not responded to any of these points.

He said the US resolution had called for civil supremacy, protection of human rights and continuity in democratic process and there was no point in it which should be opposed.

Moreover, he said, there was a difference between the US government and the House of Representatives and the US resolution could not be termed an interference in the country’s affairs. He said never in the history, any parliament of a country had passed a resolution against the elected house of another country.

“Had the statement [about Pakistan] come from the US government, we would have also condemned it,” he said.

The PTI chairman said the government did not want to investigate the alleged rigging in the Feb 8 polls.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2024