EU team listens to Nawaz's concerns

A four-member delegation of the European Union Election Observation Mission called on Pakistan Muslim League-N quaid, Nawaz Sharif at his residence here on Tuesday and discussed matters pertaining to forthcoming general elections in the country.
The team led by Michael Gahler noted apprehensions expressed by Nawaz Sharif with regard to fairness of polls. Gahler told reporters after the meeting that the EU Mission is in Pakistan to assess the election campaign, the ballot and the overall climate in which the election will take place.
'We want strengthening of democracy through transparent polls in Pakistan. We want elections in Pakistan at par with international standards', he said. "This election is vital for Pakistan's path towards democracy and civilian rule. Stability and development can only be achieved with democracy and the rule of law", he said.
Gahler said they had monitored the 2002 polls in Pakistan and once again here to monitor the 2008 polls. He said the arguments given by Nawaz Sharif with regard to fairness of upcoming polls are strong but they would dig out the actual facts after getting the stance from the government.
It may be mentioned that the EU election observers will be deployed across the country in the coming weeks and on the election day to monitor the poll process. A team of more than 100 observers would be visiting polling stations to ensure that proper procedures were followed.
Michael Gahler said they are reviewing complaints from different quarters and after getting information from political parties and civil society forward the same to quarters concerned for redressal, he added.
Nawaz Sharif told newsmen on the occasion that there would be harmful results if state machinery were used in the elections. He said: "we had conveyed to the European Union delegation about our apprehensions regarding the fairness of polls".
He said all the opposition parties had some reservations with regard to fairness of polls. He added that his party would soon make public some proofs about rigging plans through media. He lauded the European Union efforts aimed at holding transparent polls in Pakistan. Pakistan Muslim League-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif said on the occasion that nazims are playing pivotal role in the government's rigging plans which is illegal.