ECP denies report of keeping foreign observers away from next polls

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday vehemently denied the impression, created by some circles that it wanted to keep foreign observers away from the upcoming electoral process.

In a statement issued by the Election Commission here said that a section of the media and social media had run reports that the Election Commission wanted to keep away foreign observers from 2018 election process. “The Election Commission considers the local and foreign observers an integral part of the poll process for which a comprehensive strategy is being worked out,” the Election Commission said.

The Election Commission maintained that the proposed strategy was aimed at ensuring that there would be no impediment in the election observation drill. It added that the international observers tended to send their applications for election observation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being a standard operating procedure (SoP).

Whosoever, would come to Pakistan for election observation as per the local laws, the Election Commission would issue permission. It explained that the election observation exercise was a part of the Elections Act, 2017 and mentioned in Section 238.