Commonwealth Observer Group report highlights conditions which \u201caffected one party\u2019s ability\u201d to contest polls fairly
\n islamabad
\nElection observers from the Commonwealth have criticised the fairness of the 2024 general elections in Pakistan in their long-awaited final report, noting that voters\u2019 \u201cfundamental political rights\u201d were restricted during the polls.
\nThe report, released on Tuesday more than 18 months after the elections, flagged the shutdown of mobile phone services on election night, saying it \u201creduced the transparency of the process and impacted the efficiency of delivering results\u201d.
\n\u201cCritically, the lack of digitally transmitted results forms expanded opportunities for the manipulation of Forms 45, 46 and 47,\u201d the Commonwealth Observer Group said in its 161-page report.
\nThe observer group further said that \u201cit surveyed a wide range of documentation that appeared to indicate that, in some cases, copies of Forms 45 held by party agents differed from those used in the tabulation of results that later appeared on the ECP website, with vote totals and turnout figures altered.\u201d
\nThe report said: \u201cWe noted with concern a number of factors in the pre-election period that significantly impacted the level playing field, most crucially the non-allocation of the bat symbol to PTI and the registering of PTI candidates as independents.\u201d
\nRestrictions on rights and freedoms
\nThe report noted: \u201cThe COG received multiple reports of PTI members and supporters being arrested, detained, and of PTI offices and PTI members\u2019 homes being closed or raided. These occurrences affected the ability of parties and candidates to exercise their fundamental constitutional rights of freedom of association and assembly.\u201d
\nAlongside its criticisms, the group commended the Election Commission of Pakistan\u2019s efforts to improve inclusivity. It highlighted \u201ca reduction in the voter registration gender gap from 12% in 2013 to 7.7% in the 2024 election\u201d and praised the expansion of the ECP\u2019s Gender and Social Inclusion Wing.
\nIt noted improvements in youth voter turnout and measures such as a gender hotline to report election-related harassment.
\nCall for democratic reform
\nThe report said: \u201cThe potential of Pakistan\u2019s democracy is enormous. Pakistan has a vibrant and diverse media; women and the youth are more engaged than ever; and Pakistan\u2019s CSOs play a critical role in the democratic life of the country, continually pushing for reform and improvement.\u201d
\nHowever, it stressed that \u201cthe improvement of electoral processes will fundamentally depend on the broader political conditions in which elections are held\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Commonwealth Observer Group report highlights conditions which \u201caffected one party\u2019s ability\u201d to contest polls fairly islamabad Election observers from the Commonwealth have criticised the fairness of the 2024 general elections in Pakistan in their long-awaited final report, noting that voters\u2019 \u201cfundamental political rights\u201d were restricted during the polls. The report, released on Tuesday more than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":506128,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-506110","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n