DAWN.COM

Today's Paper | May 18, 2024

Published 23 Nov, 2002 12:00am

EU report on democracy biased, says Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: Pakistan on Friday expressed its disappointment over the ‘biased and unbalanced’ resolution adopted in the European Parliament about the process of revival of democracy in Pakistan.

The resolution was moved by the chairman of EU election mission, John Cushnahan, and adopted in the European Parliament on Thursday.

“It is most unfortunate that Mr Cushnahan persists with the deeply flawed conclusions in his report of the EU election observation mission which monitored the recently concluded general elections in Pakistan,” a foreign office spokesman said.

Mr Cushnahan, he said, continues to remain impervious to the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. “Even as he was giving vent to his prejudice in the European Parliament, the National Assembly of Pakistan was electing the new prime minister of the country.”

The spokesman said the resolution has been overtaken by events, as parliament has already met to elect Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Leader of the House.

The new prime minister is being sworn in on Saturday, which will be a major step toward return to civilian rule in the country, he stated.

The spokesman said President Pervez Musharraf has fulfilled his promise of restoring full democracy within the parameters set by the Supreme Court.

“In the fitness of things, the European Parliament ought to have welcomed this momentous transformation in Pakistan’s political life,” he stated.

Pakistan, he said, welcomes the statement made on behalf of EU presidency by the Danish Minister for European Affairs, which calls the general elections as an important step toward restoring democracy in Pakistan.

The presidency also acknowledged that President Pervez Musharraf “has clearly fulfilled his pledge to implement the promised roadmap”.

The statement added that President Musharraf has implemented a series of reforms aimed at redressing the economy and combating all the pervading problems of corruption.—APP

Read Comments

Anticlimactic adjournment as NAB laws hearing featuring Imran ends without him speaking Next Story