The political instability in the face of ongoing judicial crisis may have negative impact on the process of holding free and fair elections. The secretary general Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) Sarwar Bari said this in a press conference here on Tuesday.
He asked the EC (Election Commission) to take concrete measures to enhance public confidence in the coming elections by ensuring a level playing field to all the stakeholders. Fafen believes that the way the government has been handling the ongoing judicial and political crisis creates doubts about the level playing field necessary for forthcoming elections, he added.
He said public rallies all over the country using government resources and being attended by the president as well as senior members of executive are explicitly favouring the ruling coalition. He condemned government in dealing the non-functional chief justice as an opposition leader.
The official mishandling of the ongoing crisis, particularly in Karachi where more than 40 people were killed this weekend, is also sharpening ethnic division in the country which will add fuel to the fire that may reach its climax during elections, he added.
While describing Fafen's role, he said it is a joint venture of more than 30 leading NGOs which will monitor 40,000 to 50,000 centres in the country where electoral rolls are to be displayed in order to highlight the shortcomings. Fafen will also play a role of observer during the elections. Sarwar Bari said 30 percent women and 50 percent youth (18 years to 25 years) are without national identity cards. To redress this problem Fafen is in contact with Nadra.
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