“Making negative comments even before the electoral process is over is neither constructive nor objective,” says FO
- FO is surprised by the negative tone of some statements.
- Pakistan held elections peacefully and successfully: FO.
- “There was no Internet outage at the national level,” he clarifies.
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday took note of the statements issued by certain countries and organizations regarding the 2024 general elections held across Pakistan on February 8.
“We are surprised by the negative tone of some of these statements, which do not take into account the complexity of the electoral process nor recognize the free and enthusiastic exercise of the right to vote by tens of millions of Pakistanis,” said the Ministry of External Affairs. .
The FO said these statements ignore the undeniable fact that Pakistan held general elections, peacefully and successfully, while facing serious security threats resulting primarily from foreign-sponsored terrorism.
“Some statements are not even objective. There was no nationwide internet shutdown. Only mobile services were suspended during the day to avoid terrorist incidents on election day. The election exercise has shown that the concerns of many commentators were out of place,” he added.
The statement added that Pakistan conducted the elections as part of its commitment to building a stable and democratic society. “While we value constructive advice from our friends, making negative comments even before the electoral process is over is neither constructive nor objective,” the FO said.
Pakistan will continue to work towards building a vibrant democratic system of governance, adding that every election and peaceful transition of power brings us closer to that goal.
“We do this not because of the concerns expressed by others, but because that is the aspiration of our people and the vision of our founding fathers,” the statement concludes.
A day earlier, the United States was among other countries that raised questions about the credibility of the election.
USA
— Matthew Miller, US Department of State
We join credible local and international election observers in their assessment that these elections included undue restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. We condemn electoral violence, restrictions on the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including attacks on media workers, and restrictions on access to the Internet and telecommunications services, and are concerned about accusations of interference in the electoral process. Allegations of interference or fraud must be thoroughly investigated.
United Kingdom
— Lord Cameron, Foreign Secretary
We recognize the serious concerns raised about the fairness and lack of inclusiveness of the elections. We regret that not all parties were formally allowed to participate in the elections and that legal processes were used to prevent the participation of some political leaders and the use of recognizable party symbols. We also note the restrictions imposed on Internet access on election day, significant delays in the presentation of results and allegations of irregularities in the counting process.
The UK calls on the Pakistani authorities to uphold fundamental human rights, including free access to information, and the rule of law. This includes the right to a fair trial, through respect for due process and an independent and transparent judicial system, free of interference.
European Union
— Peter Stano, Chief Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
We regret the lack of a level playing field due to the inability of some political actors to participate in elections, restrictions on freedom of assembly, freedom of expression both online and offline, restrictions on Internet access, as well as accusations of serious interference. in the electoral process, including arrests of political activists.
We therefore call on the relevant authorities to ensure a full and timely investigation of all reported electoral irregularities and to implement the recommendations of the upcoming report of the EU Electoral Expert Mission.
The authorities faced the difficult task of countering serious threats and terrorist attacks. The EU condemns all acts of violence that took place in the run-up to the elections and calls on all parties and actors to use peaceful and democratic mechanisms to resolve differences, refraining from further violence.
The EU attaches great importance to political pluralism, democratic values, independent media, a vibrant civil society, judicial independence and international human rights standards, which are key to democratic elections. We call on all political actors in Pakistan to engage in a peaceful and inclusive dialogue aimed at the formation of a stable government and respect human rights in accordance with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as well as international treaties to those that Pakistan is party.
