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Pakistan Assures "Inclusive" Elections Amid UN Concerns Over Khan's Party Ban

© AP Photo / W.K. YousafzaiSecurity personnel clears the way for Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, center, after appearing in court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
Security personnel clears the way for Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, center, after appearing in court in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. - Sputnik India, 1920, 07.02.2024
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Imran Khan was ousted from office after losing a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. Khan asserted he knew the "cypher" during his term, claiming it served as proof of a U.S.-led conspiracy involving his political rivals.
Pakistan's foreign office spokeswoman on Wednesday addressed concerns raised by a leading United Nations human rights body regarding pre-election violence and alleged "harassment" of leaders and supporters from former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party in the lead-up to the national polls. The spokesperson affirmed Pakistan's commitment to fostering an "inclusive" democratic process.

During a Geneva news briefing on Tuesday, Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on Pakistani authorities to ensure a free and fair voting process. Throssell expressed concern over the "pattern of harassment, arrests, and prolonged detentions" of leaders and supporters from Khan's party.

This statement follows the recent sentencing of Khan in multiple cases and the incarceration or hiding of many of his party leaders to avoid arrest. The charges against the former prime minister, who experienced a fallout with Pakistan's influential military leadership in 2022, range from corruption to leaking state secrets.
Khan denies the allegations and accuses the military of suppressing his party to prevent his participation in national elections. The military, in turn, rejects Khan's accusations, asserting that it does not interfere in political matters.

“Pakistan is fully committed to fostering an inclusive democratic process, upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed in its laws and Constitution,” said, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a statement.

“Our judicial system provides for fair trial and due process. Domestic legal remedies are available in case of any complaints in the electoral process”, he asserted.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari trade places to deliver remarks after their meeting, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, at the State Dept. in Washington. - Sputnik India, 1920, 31.01.2024
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