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SAARC observer group says

Pak election was peaceful barring stray incidents
The SAARC non-govern-ment observer group observed that the general election in Pakistan on Monday was gen erally peaceful barring a few instances of violence and intimidation. reports UNB.
"Despite several irregularities and instances of mismanagement. the elections were conducted substantially in uniformity with election laws and procedures in Pakistan, the group said in its preliminary report.
The report faxed to UNB last night said "whether the elections were also free and impartial has to be seen in the light of
the several measures and actions which preceded and which are likely to follow the elec-
The 41-member observer group from four SAARC countries has been in Pakistan since January 29 to observe the Februaiw 3 elections. Chief Adviser of 1996 Caretaker government of Bangladesh Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman led the team.
The observer group from Bangladesh includes former Chief Justice Kemal Uddin Hossain. former VC of Jahangir Nagar University Prof Zlllur Rahman Siddiqui. Bhorer
Kagoi Editor Matiur Rahman and Daily Star Editor Mahfuz
It also includes former Foreign Secretary of India Muchkund Dubey. Justice Ra-teender Sachar. Journalists likhil Chakrabarti and Kuldip Nayar. Justice JFA Suza. MPs Dr Nilan Diruchelvan and Sunetra Bandernayek of Sri Lanka, former Finance Minister of Nepal Dr Devendra RaJ-pandey. Prof Krishna Khanal and former SAARC Secretary General K Silwal.
The SAARC observer group comprising delegations from
Bangladesh. India. Nepal and Sri Lanka visited over 400 polling centres in 64 constituencies covering all four provinces and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
After the election, the SAARC observer group members assembled in Lahore and released its primary statement.
The statement said the turnout of women voters was much less than that of male In almost all polling centres vis-
ited by the observer group. "In tribal areas, participation by women in voting was still a rare occurrence."
About coverage on the state-controlled media, the observer report said all political parties were given equal time to address the nation on the party programme.
The candidates of polities! parties were permitted to ^>1ace advertisements on radio and television. The coverage of the elections in the print media was i'enerally Informed, robust and air and no political party has claimed that it was unfairly denied access to the media, the report said.
The SAARC observer group said it was a great concern about the presence of military personnel Inside polling stations and near the polling booths. But. they acted in a nonpartisan manner, it observed.
It, however, suggested that "the farther the military is kept away from the electoral process the better it is for the health of democratic system of government."
Said the team: "We found that micromanagement of the polling marked deterioration over the 1993 elections. There were problems and complaints With regard. Ip the electoral rolls — a matter related to the absence of proper sansus sines 1981."
The facilities in the polling stations Including those related to secrecy of voting were not uniformly available. At several polling centres, polling officials did not know the procedures and were not sufficiently in control of the polling centres, it observed.
This is for the fourth time the SAARC non-government observer group monitored the elections in Pakistan.