NDI international delegation to assess election environment

ISLAMABAD—Former US Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will lead a Pre-Election Assessment Mission in Pakistan on behalf of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) from October 17 to 21 to observe conditions ahead of parliamentary elections.
The purpose of the Pre-Election Assessment Mission - thesecond such mission conducted by NDI this year - is to examine key elements of the electoral process as they relate to the plannedgeneral elections and the previous NDI recommendations.
The Assessment Mission will also consider and draft specificrecommendations to improve the fairness and transparency of theprocess. The other members including Prime Minister of Canada JoeClark, former president of the New Zealand National Party Susanne Wood, and NDI’s Asia Regional Director Peter Manikas. The delegates will hold nationwide meetings with politicalparties, electoral officials, government officials and civil society representatives.
They will present and discuss their findings andrecommendations with the Electoral Commission of Pakistan,political leaders, civil society organizations, Pakistani media and the international community. The delegation will issue a statement upon completion of theirmission on October 21. The first NDI Pre-Election Assessment Mission was conducted between May 13-17. The finding were made public at the mission’s conclusion.—APP