February 01, 2008	Friday	Muharram 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: The Pakistan People’s Party has taken strong note of the restrictions placed by the government on the International Republican Institute’s operations in Pakistan.

Condemning the non-renewal of visas for senior IRI officials as “a step aimed at shutting down international organisations that seek to assist in building democratic institutions”, central information secretary of the PPP Sherry Rehman said that the party would strongly resist the move to dismantle the free movement and activities of the IRI in Pakistan.

“The IRI has been conducting independent polls on a variety of issues that are fundamental to channelling public opinion in a transparent manner. Their last few surveys have obviously shown the regime as isolated and unpopular, which is why the IRI is being asked to shut down its operations in Pakistan.

Their registration is under threat of revocation by the Pakistan government, which is an unprecedented step for an organisation of international repute to face. The visa status of top IRI officials has been subject to arbitrary and restrictive renewals almost on a monthly basis, and now we see their very access to Pakistan compromised by a possible cancellation of visas on February 21.

“We are very clear that the regime is trying to confuse the issue by saying that the IRI itself wants to leave. This is absolute nonsense as their officials have documented evidence asking for permission to stay in Pakistan. They may not be able to monitor the elections now that their security is compromised, but they certainly need and want to continue with their capacity-building work for political parties and issue-based polling for assisting democratic forces and enhancing public participation.

“The PPP has always valued and respected the independent work done by the IRI in Pakistan, and strongly condemns any move to curtail their activities. This is clearly another way to stack the decks against democratic forces, especially the PPP, since lately we fared as front-runners in all independent polls.

The regime has not only muzzled the press in Pakistan by subjecting them to shutdowns and restrictive codes of conduct, it is now obviously afraid of any reflection of independent opinion filtering out through the free media or international organisations such as the IRI.

“The PPP also sees this as a draconian act of institutional censorship on democracy-support in Pakistan on the eve of a general election which has already been dubbed as rigged by all credible observers such as the European Union left on the ground.

The party will resist all such bans on freedom of movement, operation and action by a regime bent on manipulating the polls, and will challenge such curbs and bans on democracy by contesting even a rigged election under protest at every polling station. The PPP has never believed in vacating space for non-democratic forces and will fight for its right for a transition to democracy through the primacy and sanctity of the ballot,” said Ms Rehman.