The United Nations top human rights body expressed concern Tuesday over the “pattern of harassment” against members of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party ahead of this week’s parliamentary election.
During a news briefing in Geneva, Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Pakistani authorities to ensure a fully free and fair voting process.
This came amid complaints by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of harassment and the inability to hold rallies similar to the ruling party and its candidate Nawaz Sharif. Authorities have denied such claims. Khan has been sentenced to 34 years in jail after being convicted in four cases and has been disqualified from running.
Throssell said the U.N.’s rights body was disturbed “by the pattern of harassment, arrests and prolonged detentions of leaders” of Khan’s party and its supporters. She said all eligible parties in Pakistan must be able to compete fairly.
“Ahead of Thursday’s parliamentary election in Pakistan, we deplore all acts of violence against political parties and candidates, and urge the authorities to uphold the fundamental freedoms necessary for an inclusive and meaningful democratic process,” she said.
She said the upcoming elections are also a “reminder of the barriers faced by women and minority communities in Pakistan”.
Throssell expressed concern over some political parties not meeting the legal quota of women representatives. Pakistan’s parliament reserves 22% of the seats for women. She also said minorities having separate voter lists exposed them to violence. On Tuesday, caretaker Interior Minster Gohar Ijaz said that all arrangements were in place to ensure a free and fair election despite a recent surge in militant attacks, adding that troops would be deployed in sensitive areas.
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