Pak human rights body voices concern about lack of level playing field in Feb 8 elections

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s leading human rights body on Monday expressed concern about the lack of a level playing field for certain political parties, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the run-up to the February 8 general elections.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) co-chairperson Munizae Jahangir said that the elections held in the prevailing situation would remain questionable.

“Our concern is that there will always remain a question mark on whichever government is formed as a result of this,” she said while addressing a press conference here. She added that elections needed to be transparent to prevent any questions that may arise.

Munizae said that Imran Khan's party was subjected to “systematic dismemberment” and the HRCP had mentioned the issue several times.

It urged the government and election officials to address the issue to ensure fair elections.

Cash-strapped Pakistan is going to the poll on February 8.

“I think we all know how the non-elected people have used their influence to monitor or direct politicians. We want the caretaker government and Election Commission of Pakistan to assert themselves and fulfil the responsibilities of carrying out free and fair elections that have been entrusted to them,” she said.

Separately, the HRCP in a statement said it was deeply concerned by the overall deterioration in human rights, including the “blatant manipulation” of the electoral process in which “one political party among others has been singled out for systematic dismemberment”.

It also said the rights of vulnerable groups have come under renewed assault by state and non-state actors in the past year.

It said that the mass expulsion of vulnerable Afghan refugees and asylum seekers has put many women, children, elderly and disabled Afghan nationals at risk.

The HRCP also said the State’s clampdown on dissent, whether on freedom of opinion, expression or assembly, has further constricted civic spaces in the country at a time when people must be allowed to express their will freely ahead of a national election.

It stated that its concerns must be tackled as a matter of priority by an elected government that transparently comes to power.

The HRCP is an independent human rights body based in Lahore that openly comments on the country's prevailing rights situation.