Pakistan formally voiced its disapproval of US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu’s statement regarding the February 8 general elections in Pakistan at a congressional hearing in Washington the previous day.
At a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing titled “Pakistan After the Elections: Examining the future of Democracy in Pakistan and the US Pakistan relationship,” Lu was a major witness. Lu demanded during the hearing that the claims of electoral fraud be looked into, adding that the US is keeping a close eye on the investigation into the allegations of rigging.
During the votes on February 8, he observed “undue restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
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Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesman for the Pakistan Foreign Office, stated on Thursday that although Pakistan cherishes its relationship with the United States, there were a few misconceptions regarding Pakistan’s election regulations during the day’s Congressional panel hearing.
“In the meeting of the American committee yesterday, there were several misunderstandings regarding Pakistan’s election laws,” stated Baloch at FO’s weekly news conference.