The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked the country's Foreign Office to undertake all steps required to invite foreign observers for the upcoming national polls, local media reported on Thursday.
The polls are set for the last week of January 2024, the ECP announced last month.
The polls are set for the last week of January 2024, the ECP announced last month.
Pakistani daily Dawn reported, citing an official copy of a letter sent to the country's Foreign Secretary by ECP Additional Director General of the Media Wing Haroon Shinwari: "The Election Commission intends to send invitations to international observers/media through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in terms of Section 238 of the Elections Act, 2017…"
"...the Election Commission believes in an open door policy and welcomes observation missions for the upcoming general election at the earliest as required”, the letter added.
The elections were previously expected to be held in November. But they were delayed by a few weeks in light of fresh marking of constituencies, as per a new census (total population count).
The ECP first expressed its desire to invite international observers after the election date was announced.
A caretaker government was put in place in Pakistan in August after the Shehbaz Sharif-led political alliance stepped down just before concluding its term. The step pushed the election date back by a month.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar currently leads Pakistan as the head of government amid a persisting economic crisis in the country.