ISLAMABAD: A senior State Department official said on Wednesday the United States had consistently urged Pakistan to respect its citizens’ rights and legal obligations, following a resolution by US lawmakers demanding an impartial investigation into election manipulation allegations after the February 8 national polls.
The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted for a resolution to support democracy in Pakistan a day earlier, condemning “attempts to suppress the people of Pakistan’s participation in their democracy” and asking the government to respect due process of law, freedom of press and free speech in Pakistan.
While Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the resolution as having “no value” and described it as political posturing in a US election year, experts pointed out that 85 percent of House members had voted on it, with 98 percent endorsing it.
Asked about the resolution, which also prodded President Joe Biden’s administration to collaborate with Pakistan in upholding democracy, human rights and rule of law, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington was already committed to these principles.
“I’m not going to comment on that resolution specifically, but speaking generally, our most senior officials – including Secretary [Antony] Blinken and Ambassador [Donald] Blome – have consistently both privately and publicly urged Pakistan to respect the rights of its people and live with its constitutional and international obligations,” he said.
“We continuously urge the Government of Pakistan to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and religion, as well as the rights of marginalized populations such as women and religious minorities,” he added.
Pakistan’s foreign office released a statement after the US House had voted, saying the resolution “stems from an incomplete understanding of the political situation and electoral process in Pakistan.”
However, the country’s defense minister was more curt in his response, saying the US had “no right to interfere in our internal affairs or give any sort of verdict on the matter.”
Washington’s support will be crucial for Islamabad in coming weeks as it looks to secure a fresh bailout from the International Monetary Fund to stave off an economic crisis.
The resolution will not have much impact on Washington’s policy toward Pakistan, Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, said in a post on social media platform X.
But, he added, it raised questions about whether Pakistan legislation could follow, noting bipartisan support for the resolution.
- With inputs from Reuters
US says efforts already underway to strengthen Pakistan’s democracy after Congress seeks election probe
https://arab.news/5t8kb
US says efforts already underway to strengthen Pakistan’s democracy after Congress seeks election probe
- US House resolution prodded Biden administration to collaborate with Pakistan in upholding democracy, human rights
- Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif says the United States has ‘no right to interfere in our internal affairs’
Pakistan top IT association backs $1 billion AI plan announced at Indus Summit
- Private sector pledges support for AI push, calls tech sector engine of future growth
- Government to fund 1,000 AI PhDs, train one million professionals under digital strategy
KARACHI: Pakistan’s main software industry association on Tuesday backed the government’s plan to invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence by 2030, pledging private-sector support for what officials describe as a national push toward digital transformation.
The commitment was announced during Indus AI Week in Islamabad, held earlier this month, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif outlined plans to fund artificial intelligence development, including scholarships and workforce training.
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), representing IT exporters and technology firms, said the private sector would play a central role in implementing the strategy.
“The IT sector is no longer merely a participant in Pakistan’s economy,” said Sajjad Syed, the association’s chairman, in a statement. “It is the fundamental engine of our future growth.”
“The commitments made at the Indus AI Summit provide a much-needed, evidence-based structural framework,” he added. “P@SHA, representing the collective strength of Pakistan’s software and tech enterprises, stands fully prepared to translate this policy into export-driven, practical realities.”
Syed said the integration of AI was no longer optional, describing it as a “matter of global survival and economic sovereignty.”
The government said the initiative includes funding for 1,000 PhD scholarships in artificial intelligence and a federal mandate to train one million non-IT professionals in advanced technology skills.
The Indus AI Week event drew participation from local and international technology companies, universities, and investors, according to organizers. It included technical bootcamps and industry panels aimed at accelerating AI adoption.
Pakistan’s IT exports reached $2.2 billion in July–December FY26, marking a 20 percent year-on-year increase, the statement said, as the country seeks to expand its technology sector to support foreign exchange earnings.
The AI push comes as Islamabad looks to modernize its digital infrastructure and attract technology investment while positioning the country as a competitive player in emerging technologies.
