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Electoral process being vulgarised: Pakistan rights body

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday said the credibility of this week's general election in the country was at risk.

"The HRCP has been concerned at the number of reports and allegations received of tampering with the electoral process by the government," HRCP chairman Afasiab Khattak and activist Asma Jehangir said in Islamabad.

Khattak said the watchdog had received complaints from individuals, political parties, members of the administration and candidates.

"With regret, [the] HRCP notes that manipulation is manifest on record. The incidents reported by us are only the tip of the iceberg," Khattak said, adding, "the blatant manner in which the electoral process is being vulgarised and the will of the people mocked is extremely worrying."

"It is going to undermine the credibility of [the] elections."

"It is clear that the scheme being implemented will have grave implications for the state and will create unimaginable hardship for the people," they said.

On President Pervez Musharraf's constitutional amendments, the HRCP said, "Chief aim of these reforms appears to deprive the new parliament of power and instead concentrate decision-making authority chiefly in the hands of an un-elected president."

He said most political parties in the country had strongly rejected the amendments and questioned Musharraf's right to make such changes.

PTI

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