September 27, 2005	Tuesday	Sha'aban 22, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The Commonwealth has found Pakistan’s recently held local body elections fraught with intense mistrust and scepticism from a cross-section of society and noted that this would not develop democratic system in the country.

“Pakistan’s Local Government Elections-2005 were conducted in an environment of intense mistrust and scepticism on the part of the public, political parties, media, candidates and the civil society,” said a report of Commonwealth’s expert team that visited Pakistan during and after the elections.

“The government should address this fundamental mistrust,” the report emphasized, “to strengthen local democracy and faith in political and electoral processes in Pakistan”.

The eight-member Commonwealth team was assigned the task to observe the preparations for the local body elections, the polling, counting and results process and the overall electoral environment.

The team found that although polls were meant to be held on a non-party basis the political parties in fact played a central role in the electoral process.

The team, therefore, suggested introducing amendments to the election laws to permit involvement of political parties but at the same time called for safeguarding the right of independent candidates to stand unhindered.

The team felt the need of further strengthening the independence of the Election Commission and said that an acting CEC should not head it. It also asked the commission to use its executive powers in enforcing its decisions and the Code of Conduct.

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