WASHINGTON: The Biden ad­­ministration remains steadfast in its stance of non-interference in the formation of the government in Pakistan, dismissing calls from

US lawmakers and others to withhold recognition of the Feb 8 election results.

At Wednesday’s news briefing in Washington, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller reiterated this point when asked whether the prospective coalition set-up in Pakistan would be deemed representative.

“I don’t want to comment on the government before it is formed,” he said. “Ultimately, as is the case wherever you see coalition politics taking place in any given country, it’s a decision for that country itself. It’s not something we would weigh in on.”

During a similar news briefing on Tuesday, he characterised the efforts to form a coalition government as Pakistan’s internal matter. “I do not want to get into an internal Pakistani matter, which I very much believe that the formation of a new government is.”

Seeks probe into ‘irregularities’; calls on Pakistan to lift social media restrictions

And as in several previous briefings, Mr Miller reiterated his support for calls for a thorough investigation into any claims of interference, irregularities or voter intimidation. “We want to see a full investigation into any claims of irregularities,” he said.

On Wednesday, he also issued a strong appeal to Pakistan to restore social media access when informed that people had no access to Twitter for three consecutive days.

“We are concerned by any report of restrictions on freedom of association and expression in Pakistan, including the partial or complete government-imposed shutdowns on social media platforms,” he said. “We continue to call on Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and to restore access to any that has been restricted, including Twitter.”

He emphasised that in engagements with their Pakistani counterparts, US officials “have and will continue to emphasise the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms.” The US concern on this issue, he said, has been communicated to Islamabad.

On Tuesday, he also responded to rigging allegations by former Rawalpindi commissioner Lia-quat Ali Chattha, saying, “When it comes to any claims of interference or allegations of irregularities, we want to see those fully investigated.”

Last week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed, “We consistently convey clearly, both publicly and privately, to the Pakistani government and across the Pakistani political spectrum the need to respect the will of the Pakistani people.”

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

China security ties
Updated 14 Nov, 2024

China security ties

If China's security concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily, it may affect bilateral ties. CT cooperation should be pursued instead of having foreign forces here.
Steep price
14 Nov, 2024

Steep price

THE Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is in big trouble. A new study unveiled at the ongoing COP29 reveals that if high...
A high-cost plan
14 Nov, 2024

A high-cost plan

THE government has approved an expensive plan for FBR in the hope of tackling its deep-seated inefficiencies. The...
United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.