Pakistan: International Observers Arrive For July 25 Elections

Observers from the European Union and the Commonwealth arrived in Pakistan on Friday ahead of the general elections scheduled for July 25.

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As many as 120 observers from the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) will be posted throughout the country as more than 100 million citizens make their way to the polls next week. Leading the 24-member team from the Commonwealth is former Nigerian President Abdulsalami Abubakar.

In a statement, Abubakar said the observers – including diplomats, rights specialists, commissioners, and civil society experts – would perform their role to help ensure transparent, independent and impartial elections.

"We are aware of the significance of these elections for the people of Pakistan. Our presence here affirms the Commonwealth's support to the country and its democratic processes," Abubakar said.

Critics, however, have already raised concerns about media restrictions and bias towards certain candidates: "We are greatly concerned about the restrictions on the media," said the EUEOM's chief observer, Michael Gahler. "The media have a vital role to play in an electoral process, and attempts to stifle the media undermine democracy and disadvantage the voter.

"Parties and candidates should have maximum opportunity to campaign, voters should have their voices heard, and people should be able to cast their ballot without fear or hindrance."

On Friday, state officials announced plans to deploy some 371,000 troops across the country during the elections, nearly three times the number deployed during the last elections in 2013.

Some political parties objected to the move, reminding authorities that the military controlled the state on several occasions following independence in 1947, ruling the South Asian nation for almost half its 71-year history.

The army's expanded general elections powers are both worrisome and unprecedented, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has complained of arbitrary arrests, threats from military intelligence agencies, and criminal cases opened against nearly 17,000 party supporters.

In an interview with Reuters, Attorney Haider Imtiaz said: "It violates the spirit of the constitution."

Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor, however, insisted the army would remain neutral: "The Pakistan army's role is to support the election commission with the tasks they have asked us to help with."