By News Desk
ISLAMABAD: A group of U.S. lawmakers urged Pakistan to announce a date for its next elections and allow neutral observers to ensure they are fair and free, amid concerns over human rights and democracy in the South Asian nation, Dawn newspaper reported on Friday.
The lawmakers, who are members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also called on Pakistan to repeal or amend its blasphemy law, which they said was used as a tool against minorities, and to stop trying civilians in military courts.
The briefing, jointly sponsored by Democratic congressmen Brad Sherman and Jim Costa, was attended by about a dozen speakers, including some of the most influential members of Congress, such as Kweisi Mfume, Adam Schiff, and Eric Swalwell.
They expressed solidarity with journalists, activists, and opposition supporters who have faced arrests, disappearances, and violence in Pakistan, especially after a crackdown on protests following the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in April 2022.
“We are here not to wade into Pakistani politics, but to advocate for democracy and human rights,” Sherman said in his opening remarks.
He claimed that some of those arrested after May 9 might have been involved in violent activities, but the majority were protesting peacefully. “The crackdown [against them] is aimed at democracy,” Sherman said.
He also demanded that the captors of journalist Imran Riaz, who went missing in April, should at least let his family know where he is.
Costa said that Pakistan’s brief history had “two constants”: corruption and the establishment’s interference in politics.
He urged all stakeholders to “make efforts to end this” arrangement and “bring the changes we all want to see.”
Mfume, who has visited Pakistan several times, said that the country “must shine the way to show that it’s really a democracy.”
He also suggested that the United Nations should oversee the elections. “The oversight should come from the United Nations,” he said.
Other lawmakers echoed the need for ensuring that human rights and democratic values are upheld in Pakistan, which they described as “a critical U.S. ally” and an important partner for security and stability in the region.
They also stressed the importance of free media and protecting journalists, saying that they had sent letters to the Pakistani ambassador in Washington about Riaz’s whereabouts and other cases of harassment and intimidation. “We pick no sides. We are on the side of democracy and human rights,” Swalwell said.
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