US supports transparent polls in Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States has said that it supports free, fair, transparent and accountable elections in Pakistan that are due in coming July.

On Tuesday, it also expressed the hope that Pakistan’s electoral reforms passed last year, would help facilitate the peaceful transfer of power to a democratically-elected civilian government. “The United States supports free, fair, transparent and accountable elections in Pakistan as we do in other countries around the world,” the State Department spokesperson said in a daily briefing.

The spokesperson said that the US, along with other international partners, supported Pakistan’s implementation of its historic 2017 electoral reforms law. “My understanding is that this is the first time that law will actually be put into effect for these elections. We hope that the new comprehensive and transparent legal framework facilitates the peaceful transfer of civilian power to a democratically elected government,” the spokesperson said.

Answering a question about sending election observers to Pakistan, the spokesperson said that the US supports international organisations that participate as observers. The caretaker government in Pakistan will take over tomorrow. The upcoming general elections will take place under the new electoral reforms bill, which gave more powers to the Election Commission for ensuring free, fair and transparency in electioneering.