Uncertainty surrounding elections must end immediately: HRCP

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed immense concern over the uncertainty surrounding the general election.

In a statement after the conclusion of the governing council meeting on Sunday, the human rights organisation said: “The HRCP insists that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announce an election schedule promptly such that polls are held as close as possible to the stipulated 90-day period.”

The HRCP further said: “The delimitation of constituencies must also be completed quickly and efficiently and under no circumstances used as an excuse to delay the elections any further.”

Moreover, it said: “The HRCP is concerned by the scope for manipulating the electoral process by institutions such as NADRA and urges the ECP to guard against this possibility.”

Attaullah Tarar hints at supporting PTI chief if elections delayed

“The HRCP is greatly alarmed by the increasingly polarised environment, in which religious and sectarian divisions are being exacerbated reportedly to carve out artificial political space for far right parties such as the TLP,” it said adding that “the divisive and violent tactics used by such parties to build their political identities—particularly at the expense of religious minorities and sects—is eating into organic political and civic spaces.”

PRESS RELEASE

Uncertainty around elections must end immediately

Lahore, 3 September 2023. The governing Council of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), on concluding a meeting earlier today, has expressed immense concern over the uncertainty surrounding the general…

— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) September 3, 2023

The statement said: “The continuing terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also made political parties more apprehensive about campaigning in the province—a pattern we have witnessed before and must not go through again.”

“Apart from ensuring that free, fair and credible elections take place, the test of the current caretaker government is to see not only whether it will protect and respect people’s right to protest peacefully, but also whether it will respond to the issues that ordinary citizens are mobilising around,” the statement said.