{"id":73691,"date":"2024-03-21T11:12:12","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T11:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/fo-says-poll-concerns-raised-during-donald-lu-hearing-misunderstanding-of-domestic-situation\/"},"modified":"2024-03-21T11:12:12","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T11:12:12","slug":"fo-says-poll-concerns-raised-during-donald-lu-hearing-misunderstanding-of-domestic-situation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/fo-says-poll-concerns-raised-during-donald-lu-hearing-misunderstanding-of-domestic-situation\/","title":{"rendered":"FO says poll concerns raised during Donald Lu hearing \u2018misunderstanding of domestic situation\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<p>The Foreign Office on Thursday said that concerns raised over the Feb 8 general elections during a US Congressional hearing \u201creflected a misunderstanding\u201d of the country\u2019s domestic situation and electoral laws.<\/p>\n<p>The comments come a day after US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1822886\/us-diplomat-links-pakistan-ties-with-election-probe\">told<\/a> a Congressional panel that if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) failed to investigate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1819463\">allegations<\/a> of irregularities in the Feb 8 elections, it will \u201cretard\u201d America\u2019s relationship with Pakistan.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if the ECP\u2019s failure to investigate irregularities would impact US-Pakistan relations, Lu had said it would be an impediment to the relationship of 76 years if Pakistan did not have a democratic process that upholds its own Constitution.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1822886\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt will retard our ability to have the type of relationship we want, in security matters, on [the] business front and people to people. All that suffers if Pakistan is not a full democracy,\u201d the diplomat had replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have never used the term \u2018free and fair\u2019 in characterising these elections,\u201d Lu had said in response to a question from Congressman August Pfluger, a Texas Republican.<\/p>\n<p>Responding to a query during a weekly media briefing today, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said \u201csome statements made there (during the hearing) reflected [a] misunderstanding of Pakistan\u2019s domestic situation and electoral laws\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>According to state broadcaster <em><a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link--external\" href=\"https:\/\/radio.gov.pk\/21-03-2024\/pakistan-reaffirms-commitment-to-iran-pakistan-gas-pipeline-project\">Radio Pakistan<\/a><\/em>, the spokesperson expressed the hope to \u201cengage in meaningful discussion with the United States to address these misunderstandings\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Zahra emphasised that Pakistan valued its close relations with the US and believed in constructive engagement with it.<\/p>\n<p>While noting that Pakistan respected the prerogative of legislative bodies to discuss international issues, she stressed that \u201cthe deliberations of these legislative bodies should contribute [to] promoting positive dynamics in bilateral ties based on mutual respect and understanding\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"us-hearing-blatant-intervention-raza-rabbani\" href=\"#us-hearing-blatant-intervention-raza-rabbani\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>US hearing \u2018blatant intervention\u2019: Raza Rabbani<\/h2>\n<p>Separately, former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani termed the US Congressional hearing a \u201cblatant intervention in the internal affairs\u201d of Pakistan.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1808226\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>In a statement issued today, he said, \u201cTaking up the issue of general elections in Pakistan is a blatant intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The seasoned politician said, \u201cMy head as a proud Pakistani, citizen of a free and sovereign country, hung in shame as I watched the proceedings of the subcommittee of the US House yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe proceedings left an impression that Pakistan is not even a client state but one of the states of the USA,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He expressed the concern that \u201cif today interference in internal affairs of Pakistan goes unnoticed, tomorrow it can be matters of our national security that can be taken\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBartering of our financial sovereignty to the IMF does not mean that we have become a client state of the West and any country can meddle in our internal affairs,\u201d Rabbani asserted.<\/p>\n<p>Noting that elections had been held in other countries as well but were not brought into question, he urged the Foreign Ministry to take a \u201cbelated notice and, warn the US against such intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf it is a question of an elected House acting on its own, then tomorrow our Parliament should discuss the US policy on Palestinians, which is creating a destabilising effect in the world, or the various proceedings against Trump,\u201d Rabbani said.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"lus-testimony\" href=\"#lus-testimony\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>Lu\u2019s testimony<\/h2>\n<p>Lu is the diplomat whose supposed warning to former Pakistan Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed was the subject of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1769320\/leaked-cipher-hints-at-us-pressure-over-russia-visit\">cipher<\/a> sent by the envoy to Islamabad.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1822769\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The same document was the basis of ex-premier <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1682104\">Imran  Khan\u2019s allegation<\/a> of a US conspiracy to oust his government in 2022. The PTI founder is currently on trial for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1712744\">mishandling<\/a> the same confidential document.<\/p>\n<p>During the US Congressional hearing on Wednesday, Lu <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1822769\">termed<\/a> the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1682104\">allegations<\/a> against him by Imran \u2014 the crux of the \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1769320\/leaked-cipher-hints-at-us-pressure-over-russia-visit\">cablegate<\/a>\u2019 cipher controversy \u2014 as a \u201cconspiracy theory, lie and complete falsehood\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>When asked if the election results would have been different if alleged irregularities were not committed, Lu said that was for the ECP to decide. However, the diplomat agreed with the suggestion that the ECP should hold re-election if it found evidence of substantial rigging in some constituencies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe US does not go around recognising new governments,\u201d he said, when Congressman Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, asked him if Washington recognises the new government in Pakistan. The US administration, he explained, works with the government in power.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Foreign Office on Thursday said that concerns raised over the Feb 8 general elections during a US Congressional hearing \u201creflected a misunderstanding\u201d of the country\u2019s domestic situation and electoral laws. The comments come a day after US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu told a Congressional panel that if the Election Commission of Pakistan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":73692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/large\/2024\/03\/21151749b78bd3b.png?r=152016","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73691"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73691\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}