May 16, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1428

ISLAMABAD, May 15: The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) has feared that political instability and volatility stemming from the ongoing judicial crisis poses serious threat to free and fair elections in the country.

“The way the government has been dealing with the ongoing judicial and political crisis seriously undermines the level playing field necessary for the forthcoming general elections.” the Secretary General of the network Sarwar Bari told a press conference.

The Fafen is a coalition of more than 30 NGOs working jointly to ensure holding of free and fair polls in the country.

He said public rallies all over the country using government resources and attended by the president as well as senior members of the executive explicitly encouraging people to vote for the ruling coalition parties only smacked of foul play in the election process that has yet to kick off officially.

He said the fact that the government had been dealing with the chief justice of Pakistan as more of an opposition leader appeared to be an effort to subdue the judiciary and curtail its ability to act independently in profound constitutional questions that were likely to come up ahead of the general elections. The foremost of these questions could be eligibility of the president’s desire to seek re-election through the existing assemblies and more so his perpetuation of dual offices.

He was of the view that official mishandling of the ongoing crisis, particularly in Karachi where more than 40 people were killed this weekend, was also sharpening ethnic divisions in the country, creating conditions for further violence that may reach its climax during elections.

He condemned the rise in incidents of violence against media, which

can lead to self-censorship of

vigorous independent media coverage of election processes.

He stressed that the ongoing crisis was also casting dark shadows on even the possibility of the conduct of the general elections.

Talk of proclamation of emergency or even imposition of martial law is only causing uncertainty about the holding of general elections, he said.

“The rise of extremist forces that rely more on power and coercion than political work will also disallow a level playing field to political contenders in the upcoming elections, as

the manipulation of the Bannu by-election demonstrated,” he said.

He demanded of the Election Commission to take measures to enhance public confidence in these important elections by ensuring a level-playing field now and throughout the process and stressed that this may only be possible when the ECP at least moves against blatant violations of election laws and codes of conduct committed by any of the political contenders.

“The ECP should also engage with all political contenders to help defuse tensions ahead of elections, as well as with civil society in order to keep everyone posted on the preparations that are being made for the upcoming election.”