ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: Another 20 observers of the European Union Election Observation Mission arrived here on Thursday.

According to a press release, these short-term observers will be joined by another group early next week, bringing to just under 90 the total number of team members from 14 European Union member countries.

The mission includes 43 long-term observers and a nine-member core team, led by the mission’s chief observer, European parliamentarian John Cushnanhan.

The short-term observers will undergo a detailed orientation and training programme in Islamabad before being deployed at various locations in the four provinces.

Together with the mission’s core team, all the long and short-term observers will remain in the country until after the general election being held on Oct 10.

The observers will monitor polling in Jhelum, Gujranwala, Mingora, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Islamabad.