Pakistan elections: Report says transparency was largely maintained at polling stations
File photo.
The results of all 265 seats in the general elections in Pakistan were released on Sunday (Feb 11). Of the total 265 seats counted, independent candidates won 101 seats, followed by Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) which won 75 seats, and Bilwal Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won 54 seats. The results of the NA 88 constituency have been withheld.
The nation of 241 million people voted on Thursday, but the results were delayed.
A report has suggested that transparency was largely maintained at polling stations in the country but was compromised at the offices of the Returning Officers (ROs).
The report's findings
The report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN),published on Saturday, said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) established an efficient mechanism for the accreditation of observers, which ensured the timely delivery of accreditation cards to FAFEN observers when they completed their training.
"The importance of election observation was also consistently reinforced in all ECP training materials for election officials as well as the ECP code of conduct for security officials, a topic that was weak in training for earlier general elections," the report said.
"As a result, FAFEN faced fewer restrictions to its observation of voting and counting process at polling stations," it added.
However, FAFEN pointed out that 53 of its observers were stopped from observing the voting process by either the polling staff or security officials at 76 polling stations in Okara, Dadu, Sujawal, Peshawar, Islamabad, Shirani, Multan, Quetta, Lahore, Shangla, Khairpur, Kech and Manshera.
"The Form-45 (Result of the Count) was not affixed at a conspicuous place outside almost one-third (29.4 per cent) of the observed polling stations, a measure that is necessary to ensure electoral transparency at the first critical stage of the result management process," it said.
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The FAFN further said that of the 244 National Assembly (NA) constituencies, the ROs in only about half (114 or 46.7 per cent) allowed its observers to witness the result tabulation proceedings.
Election day remained largely peaceful
The report also said that the election day on Thursday remained largely peaceful orderly and organised amid heightened security measures by law enforcement agencies across Pakistan.
"A total of 139 minor incidents of squabbles and brawls were reported by FAFEN observers, in addition to 122 similar incidents reported by media," the report said.
The report also talked about militant attacks on election day that killed 28 people.
When it comes to the administration of election procedures, there were sporadic incidents of irregularities, but the voting process on election day generally was smooth and orderly, the report said.