ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday rejected observations made by the UN Human Rights chief regarding judicial independence, urging him to focus on his mandate instead of making uninformed comments as it also denounced a letter from US Congress members to President Biden criticising Pakistan’s human rights and governance record, calling the move undiplomatic.

“We reject these base­less insinuations and advise the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to concentrate on actual and severe human rights violations, particularly where international human rights laws have been rendered ineffective or where draconian laws have been enacted to oppress occupied peoples,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a weekly media briefing.

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The spokesperson’s sharp response followed a statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk who raised concerns over the recently enacted 26th Amendment to the Constitution, which followed intense political controversy and debate.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Turk expressed concern that the constitutional amendments were adopted hastily, without broad consultation or debate, potentially undermining the judiciary’s independence.

Rejects Volker Turk’s remarks about judicial independence; slams US lawmakers’ letter calling for Imran’s release

In response, spokesperson Baloch said the OHCHR’s conclusions were based on “misinformation and an inaccurate understanding of developments in Pakistan,” resulting in “unwarranted and misplaced conclusions”.

She said that these statements were grounded in media reports, social media posts, and speculative analyses of a political nature.

Similarly, the FO spokesperson expressed the hope that the US Congress would play a constructive role in strengthening Pakistan-US ties instead of becoming entangled in domestic political controversies.

“Comments on Pakistan’s domestic affairs violate inter-state conduct and diplomatic norms. We believe such letters and statements are counterproductive and do not align with the positive dynamics of Pakistan-US bilateral relations,” she said.

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More than 60 US lawmakers have urged President Joe Biden to advocate for the release of political prisoners in Pakistan, including former prime minister Imran Khan.

This marks the first collective appeal by US Congress members advocating for the release of political prisoners in Pakistan, including Imran Khan.

The FO spokesperson rejected the lawmakers’ letter, asserting that it was based on an incorrect understanding of Pakistan’s political situation.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2024