ECP to invite global electoral observers from mid-August

ISLAMABAD: To put at rest the speculations, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday said it looked forward to welcoming observer missions and will start extending invitations for international observers from mid-next month.

The Election Commission has already thrashed out a comprehensive code of conduct for international observers. The Election Commission’s Media Coordination and Outreach Wing clarified that a section of the media had reported that the European Union would not be sending its observer mission to Pakistan for the general election, citing certain internal constraints and non-invitation from Pakistan.

“The ECP, traditionally and as per its mandate, has always welcomed both national and international observers to observe the process of elections, to ensure electoral transparency. The organisation has worked dedicatedly on framing a comprehensive code of conduct for international observers this year and will be looking forward to all observation missions for the upcoming general election,” it explained.

The ECP will send invitations to the international observers by mid-August 2023 through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once the date of the general election is announced.

It clarified all such stories as based on hearsay and assumptions and asked the media to contact the coordinator/focal person, spokesperson of the ECP, Ms Qurat-ul-Ain Fatima at directormcoecp@gmail.com for any queries. For information, visit ECP’s website; ecp.gov.pk, and follow @SpokespersonECP & @ECP_Pakistan on Twitter.

Some media outlets had reported Michael Gahler, a member of the EU Parliament, as telling media men on Wednesday that the European Union has decided not to send its election observer mission to Pakistan citing certain internal constraints as well as non-invitation from Islamabad. He also said the fate of any party or leader must not be decided by a ‘third force’. Previously, Gahler had led EU observer missions to Pakistan for the 2008, 2013, and 2018 elections.

In its reaction, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan expressed serious concern over the EU election observer mission being denied an invitation by the ECP for the forthcoming general election. He said it was mandatory to invite elections observers from important international institutions, including the European Union, to ensure transparency in the polls. Raoof said the statement of Michael Gahler, the head of the European Union Elections Observer Mission, pertaining to the priorities of the ECP and the prospects of elections in Pakistan was meaningful.

He said that the role of ECP in holding free, fair and transparent elections was criminally disappointing, adding that the EU mission was uncertain about holding of the elections, which was detrimental to Pakistan and democracy.

Raoof said he appreciates the EU Election Observer Mission chief’s opposition to efforts to remove PTI from the electoral process. He warned that engineered and violent elections would prove to be destructive to the future of the country. The PTI information secretary asked the ECP to fulfil its legal and constitutional obligations to hold transparent polls and shun its role to harm the Constitution and democracy.