US asks Pakistan to hold ‘fair, timely’ elections: ‘Respect human rights, law’

Pakistan Elections: In the letter, Arif Alvi’s suggested to the election body that polls should be held no later than November 6.

The US asked Pakistan to hold free, fair and timely elections, and to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law amid uncertainty over the date of conducting the polls. Responding to a question on Pakistan president Arif Alvi’s letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), US state department spokesperson Mathew Miller said, “As we do with countries around the world, we urge Pakistan to hold free, fair and timely elections, and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law."

Pakistan Elections: A man carrying Pakistan's national flags, walks through a street on the eve of country's Independence Day celebrations in Peshawar. (AFP)

He also urged Pakistani authorities to “move forward with the electoral process in a manner consistent with Pakistan’s laws”.

In the letter, Arif Alvi’s suggested to the election body that polls should be held no later than November 6 as Pakistan's National Assembly was dissolved on August 9. The elections in the country should be held within the stipulated time of 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly.

However, the ECP decided to conduct a fresh delimitation of Constituencies on the basis of the new census, which has resulted in delaying the elections.

Arif Alvi’s missive was the fourth such letter written by the president to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja regarding elections in the country.

On US and Pakistan ties, Mathew Miller said, “Pakistan is an important partner, and we greatly value the relationship between our countries — both between our two governments and the people-to-people connections.