Eleven members of the US Congress have penned a letter to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, calling for the Biden administration to halt future US help to Pakistan till the nation restores constitutional order and conducts free and truthful elections.
Of their letter, the lawmakers urged the Division of State to evaluate whether or not US-origin safety help had contributed to human rights violations in Pakistan beneath the Leahy Legal guidelines and Part 502(b) of the Overseas Help Act.
They particularly emphasised the necessity for Pakistan to maneuver decisively in the direction of reinstating constitutional order, particularly by holding open and truthful elections the place all events can take part with out hindrance.
The letter highlighted considerations relating to Pakistan’s intent to strengthen the blasphemy regulation, cautioning that the proposed adjustments would possibly additional suppress smaller spiritual teams and minorities.
Expressing misery over the passing of the Legal Legislation (Modification) Invoice 2023, the lawmakers harassed that strengthening the blasphemy regulation traditionally resulted in persecution towards spiritual minorities. They famous the rushed passage of the invoice regardless of requires a extra thorough parliamentary course of.
Moreover, the letter referred to incidents put up the invoice’s passage, together with a mob assault on church buildings and houses of Christians in Jaranwala and protests by the Shia group in Gilgit-Baltistan. The lawmakers raised considerations about potential restrictions on freedom of faith ought to the invoice come into impact.
Led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, the initiative additionally concerned representatives like Frank Pallone Jr., Joaquin Castro, Summer season Lee, Ted W. Lieu, Dina Titus, Lloyd Doggett, and Cori Bush, identified for his or her advocacy on various points, together with the Palestinian trigger.
They underlined the vulnerability of spiritual minorities to blasphemy-related prosecution or violence, echoing the US Fee on Worldwide Spiritual Freedom’s observations. The lawmakers harassed the necessity to deal with restrictions on freedom of expression, speech, and faith, enforced disappearances, navy courts, and the focusing on of political opponents and human rights defenders.
Highlighting instances involving PTI chief Imran Khan and human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari, the letter urged US Embassy observers to watch authorized proceedings of human rights defenders and political dissidents in emblematic instances.
The lawmakers expressed willingness to collaborate with Secretary Blinken to advance human rights, democracy, and stability in Pakistan, signaling their hopes for a extra equitable future for Pakistanis.
Whereas the US State Division has been cautious in its response, avoiding direct assist for both aspect in Pakistan’s political panorama, it stays unsure how these considerations will form the US-Pakistan relationship.
