Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has asked US Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice to put the Musharraf government “on notice” that nothing other than a “completely clean election process” will be acceptable.In a letter to Rice, the co-chairman warns that there will be “negative consequence” if there is evidence that the voting and vote tabulation processes have been compromised in any way. He has also called on the US and other members of the international community to dispatch observers to Pakistan.
There should be no restrictions on the observers’ ability to conduct exit polls, nor should the observers have to provide advance information to the government of the polling stations they wish to visit. He has also asked Rice to send “strong messages” to Islamabad asking for the lifting of all remaining restrictions on journalists, political parties, lawyers and opposition party activists. Those still in jail on “trumped-up charges”, should be released and neutral local administrations. The present “partisan” governments at the centre and in the provinces must be replaced, while the Election Commission that has no representation from two of the four provinces should be reconstituted.
Zaradri has asked Rice to urge the government to provide adequate security to candidates and observers not only on election day but in the critical days leading up to the election.