ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: EU election observers will be deployed across the country in the coming weeks and on the election day to monitor the poll process.

A team of more than 100 observers would be on the ground, visiting polling stations to ensure that proper procedures were followed, according to the head of the European Union Election Observation Mission, Michael Gahler.

“I really invite all parties, civil society and the media to be active on the ground in respective communities in ensuring that this is the people’s election,” he said at a press conference here on Friday.

“We are prepared to accept information from all parties,” Mr Gahler said, but added that he had “no reason to expect” that his team would face any government restrictions.

A ‘core team’ of 11 experts would be based in Islamabad while another 50 ‘long-term observers’ were expected to be sent out in the coming days if the security situation allowed, he said.

They would be joined by a further 48 observers one week ahead of voting, Mr Gahler said, adding that the monitoring team would be deployed in pairs across the country on the polling day.

He said that safety concerns would be constantly monitored.

“Security is, of course, volatile. We cannot exclude the possibility of violence at some stage,” he said. “But it is my assessment at the moment that the unrest has died down.”

“The postponement has not caused any further unrest so we think that the parties and people are now duly preparing for the election.”

Mr Gahler said members of the team would travel to most parts of the country, except the tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.

His recommendations to ensure a free, fair and transparent election process included swift publication of results, possibility of the vote being independently audited and a speedy complaints and appeal system.

The mission will present an initial report of its findings within 24 to 48 hours of the voting.

In Brussels, European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner called for restraint by all sides. “This election is critical for Pakistan’s path towards democracy and civilian rule. Stability and development can only be achieved with democracy and the rule of law.

“I hope that all political players exercise restraint in the coming weeks, so that these elections can be held peacefully after the tragic assassination of Benazir Bhutto.”

European Union spokeswoman Christiane Hohmann also said that the European Commission would expand its team of election observers.

The team will assess the election campaign, the ballot, the performance of the judiciary and the overall climate in which the election will take place before delivering its verdict on the fairness of the vote.—Agencies