In a significant development, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen is urging a thorough investigation into allegations of vote rigging that marred Pakistan’s recent elections. Stressing the pivotal role of a credible inquiry, Senator Van Hollen highlighted that the success of any new government in bringing the Pakistani people together hinges on the fairness of the investigation. Taking to X on Friday, the Senator shared visuals of a letter he addressed to Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Masood Khan, on February 21.
In the letter, Senator Van Hollen commended the millions of Pakistanis who participated in the February 8 elections, underlining the substantial turnout as a testament to the crucial role of elections in democracies globally. However, he expressed deep concerns about the electoral process, citing instances of political violence, allegations of unfair restrictions on political expression, and accusations of vote rigging.
Senator Van Hollen emphasized that the U.S. State Department aligns with assessments from international and local election observers, pointing out undue limitations on freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The letter raised additional concerns, including the shutdown of mobile telecommunications for purported security reasons and serious allegations of fraud made by a senior administrative official in Punjab province.
Born in Karachi, Senator Van Hollen called on Pakistani authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations of fraud and electoral interference. He cautioned that the absence of a credible inquiry could pose substantial challenges for any new government seeking to unite the people of Pakistan.
Responding to the allegations, a high-level inquiry committee established by Pakistan’s top electoral body issued a report on Friday rejecting the claims of election rigging made by former senior bureaucrat Liaquat Ali Chattha. The committee categorically dismissed the allegations as false and built on lies. Chattha, who had initially made the accusations, later retracted them, stating that he did so at the request of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, which had offered him a lucrative position.
