Daily Times

LAHORE: Following its preliminary statement issued on July 25, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Tuesday expressed satisfaction that the 2018 general elections were held on time and remained, by and large, peaceful.

However, the HRCP regretted that many lives were lost in violence preceding the elections and condoled deeply with the families of the victims.

In a statement, HRCP said: “While the conduct of the polls was, overall, orderly and peaceful, the commission notes with concern the complaints made by several political parties as well as HRCP’s own observers regarding the management of post-poll formalities. Numerous reports that vote counting was poorly handled – with polling agents prevented from observing the final count in many cases – and the unprecedented delay in results have cast a shadow over the electoral process. These questions must be diligently addressed to avoid any doubts concerning the credibility of the elections.”

The commission also expressed concern over reports that polling agents, the media and observers were not allowed to remain present during the vote counting in many cases. “Observers in numerous constituencies – including NA-100 (Chiniot), NA-76 (Sialkot), NA-13 (Mansehra), NA-16 (Abbottabad), NA-49 (South Waziristan), NA-129, NA-130 and NA-131 (Lahore) – were prevented from observing the vote count. Also an HRCP’s observer team in Turbat reported that polling agents were locked into a separate room while the results were being counted. At a polling station in NA-125 (Lahore), the presiding officer ordered an observer out of the polling station, reportedly without just cause, threatening to have him arrested otherwise,” said that commission and hoped that the ECP would investigate all such incidents and make its findings public.

“The contention that has arisen over reports that polling agents and/or observers were not given a copy of Form 45 – to which they are entitled under the law – needs to be addressed swiftly and convincingly by the ECP. It is difficult to believe that this should have occurred in so many instances solely due to poor management. HRCP’s observers have confirmed similar reports in numerous constituencies, including, among others, Sialkot, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Charsadda, South Waziristan Agency, Kurram Agency, Chiniot, Lasbela, Gwadar, Mastung, Loralai, Panjgur and Quetta.”

It also urged the incoming new government to take serious note of the challenges that continue to beleaguer Pakistan’s democratic development. “The commission’s overarching concerns – including enforced disappearances, constraints to freedom of expression and association, tainted processes of accountability, lack of respect for the separation of powers, the erosion of independence among institutions, and the shrinking space open to civil society – must be addressed on a priority basis.”

Nonetheless, the commission hailed greater turnout of women voters in rural Sindh and KP as well as the election of several members of religious minorities. “This does not cancel out, however, the fact that the Ahmadiyya community felt compelled to refrain from voting altogether under the current discriminatory electoral laws.”

The commission reiterated the importance of transparency in determining Pakistan’s security imperatives, both domestic and external, and charting out policies – including measures to decrease tensions with India and Afghanistan – in a more inclusive manner. “Above all, none of these goals can be achieved without securing the sovereignty of parliament and civil supremacy over all major policy decisions. This means ensuring that all state services operate within their legal domain and are held accountable for their actions. If parliament is expected to deliver, then it must be allowed to function with un-engineered public support so that it can play its part freely, with confidence, and without fear or pressure from any source. HRCP expects even more from the new opposition, which must remain vigilant and responsive to public concerns to safeguard the country’s democracy.”

Published in Daily Times, August 1^st 2018.