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European Union Election Observation Mission Pakistan 2008

By admin | April 19, 2008

KARACHI: The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) Pakistan 2008 clearly stated Friday that no changes will be made to the final report on General Elections 2008 despite reservations by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

EUEOM Chief Observer Michael Gahler spoke to the press at the Karachi Press Club and mentioned the MQM’s grievances over some of their findings. The MQM has strong reservations over the sentence, “MQM has a reputation of strong control sometimes including the use of force, violence and intimidation.” This is a fact and there is nothing to withdraw, said Gahler, adding that they did acknowledge that the MQM was a well-organised party.

EU Deputy Chief Observer Hannah Roberts and Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi Hans-Joachim Kiderlen were also present. Gahler refuted the claim that the group had said the MQM forced voters at gunpoint.

He cited severe reservations of the PPPP, PML-N and ANP over the electoral results of NA-241 and NA-250. The observer group also had observed severe irregularities in the elections in Karachi, observing that Pakistan was in dire need of election reforms, and the EU has been forwarded many recommendations.

According to the report, the MQM secured a victory in 44 out of 170 polling stations in NA 241 with 57,381 votes. The average turnout in these 44 polling stations was 85.12% alone, while the overall constituency turnout was only 54.85%.

Similarly, in NA 249 the winning candidate was from the MQM with a victory margin of 30,522 votes followed by a Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) candidate.

Gahler said that he “fully endorses,” the report. He mentioned that rigging complaints made by candidates before and after the elections were not followed up by the authorities responsible for it.

EU observers meet Dr Farooq Sattar: APP reported Friday that a two-member delegation of the European Union Observers visited the MQM head office at 90 on Thursday evening.

They had a two-hour meeting with MQM Deputy Convenor Dr Farooq Sattar and members of the MQM Coordination and Diplomatic Committees. The delegation comprised Gahler and Roberts.

The MQM was represented by MQM Coordination Committee member Shoaib Bukhari, MNA Hyder Abbas Rizvi, Khush Bakht Shujaat, Fauzia Ejaz, MQM Parliamentary Leader in the Sindh Assembly Syed Sardar Ahmed, Deputy Parliamentary Leader Faisal Sabzwari, Members of the Sindh Assembly Askari Taqvi, Raza Haroon, Nadia Gabol and City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Dr Farooq Sattar said that they drew the attention of the observers towards a news item and also some inappropriate remarks with reference to the MQM mentioned in their report which were baseless and totally wrong.

Gahler clarified that certain newspapers have misreported their press conference and he has not leveled those allegations against the MQM either in the report or in the press conference.

EU election observers meet ANP: The Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh chapter President, Shahi Syed, has demanded re-elections on some constituencies of the city in which he claims “the polling was rigged.”

He made this demand in a meeting between the ANP provincial leadership and the European Union (EU) election observer delegation, headed by Michael Gahler. The observers’ Deputy Chief, Hannah Roberts, and ANP’s Provincial General Secretary Amin Khattak were present at the meeting.

According to a press release issued by the party, the ANP’s leaders informed the EU observers about “record” rigging, the “helplessness” of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the “partiality” of the caretaker government during the last general elections.

After the meeting, Syed said that the EU observers election report supported the ANP’s claims of rigging. The party had already termed the election staff biased. Furthermore, in some areas of the city, around 90 to 98 percent of the cast votes were illegitimate, alleged Syed. He added that the EU observers’ visit to the MQM’s headquarters, for presenting a copy of the election report, was a definite bold step.

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