“The European Union election observers’ mission enjoyed freedom of access to all political parties, candidates, representatives from civil society and voters, as well as bodies and meetings of the electoral administration and to all relevant information on the electoral process,” the European Union Mission stated.
“It is the people of a country who ultimately determine the credibility and legitimacy of an election process.”
In an 89-page report on the polls, the EU’s observers said, “A strong democratic commitment was demonstrated in the 2013 elections by the state authorities of Pakistan, civil society, political parties and voters.”
However, the EU Election Observer Mission has included 50 recommendations for election reform in Pakistan after observing the polls last year. In these recommendations, 17 are considered to require changes in the primary legislation and seven assessed to require constitutional changes. The mission in its report recommended that the ECP fully implement its five-year strategic plan.
Data obtained by The Express Tribune reveals that more than 50,000 domestic independent observers of 70 organisations and 542 international observers of 27 organisations monitored the 2013 elections. Over 275 international journalists from 117 international media organisations and 5,000 local journalists also covered these elections, official data further revealed. Even so, many political leaders, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Imran Khan, say that the incumbent parliament is the result of fraudulent polls.
PILDAT and FAFEN weigh in
“Pakistan witnessed the best elections in its history last year,” said Executive Director Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) Ahmed Bilal Mehboob. He felt international observers enjoyed “too much freedom” while covering the elections here and were fully accommodated by the ECP. “We did not receive any complaints from observers,” he said. PILDAT did not find evidence of “any centrally systematic plan to rig last year’s elections” either, he said.
The Free and Fair Election Network deputed more than 40,000 observers during these elections, claimed Chief Executive Officer, Muddassir Rizvi. He endorsed Ahmed Bilal Mehboob’s claim, saying, “Observers operated independently to monitor these elections and despite militant attacks, the country ratified fair elections as compared with its previous elections.” Muddassir recommended a more fair and systematic mechanism for the electoral process though.
The ECP’s stance
“These were the best polls in Pakistan’s history,” insists ECP secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan. International observers were welcomed to the country after the foreign office and interior ministry confirmed security. Large scale reforms were introduced, following recommendations of national and international organisations, he said and the ECP implemented 80 per cent of objectives under a strategic 2010-2014 plan.
However, the ECP secretary admitted, “There is always room for improvement.” Thus 400 recommendations prepared by national and international organisations have also been handed over to the special electoral reforms’ committee, Khan said.
The PTI’s opinion
The EU observers’ report is “superficial and perhaps based on narrow observations,” stated PTI senior leader Asad Umar. “It is almost impossible for a small delegation such as the EU’s to monitor thousands of polling stations and then have a final say on the 2013 elections.” Another PTI leader Omar Cheema said he has serious concerns with the EU’s report as “all political parties to some extent agreed that the May 11 polls were, in one way or another, rigged.”
Similarly, former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad, who served during the 2008 elections, termed the EU’s report “misleading and contrary to the facts”. Dilshad claimed the 2008 elections “were the best and first democratic elections in Pakistan” and said he would challenge the report at the EU’s headquarters in Brussels.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2014.
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