CW election observers to arrive on Feb 1

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Commonwealth observers is arriving in Pakistan on February 1 to observe the elections.

The delegation will be headed by the former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and it will include 13 observers. A 10-member team of European election experts has already been in Pakistan since the second week of January.

Commonwealth sources say that an election observers group was requested by the Election Commission of Pakistan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the statement, a 13-member delegation is being sent at the request of ECP, which would observe the elections and will remain in Pakistan until the election process is completed.

The statement also said that the members of the team to Pakistan have been selected by the Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland and the team includes expert officials. These observers will provide a comprehensive and independent review of Pakistan’s electoral process.