WASHINGTON – The United States, Britain, and the European Union expressed worries about Pakistan’s voting process after Thursday’s vote and urged an investigation into reported problems.
The main competition was between Nawaz Sharif’s party and candidates supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Both claimed to win. 265 seats in the National Assembly were up for grabs, with a party needing 133 for a majority.
The US and the EU raised concerns about alleged interference and arrests of activists, calling for thorough investigations into claims of irregularities and fraud.
PTI’s founder is in jail, and his party was not allowed to participate. Independents, mostly supported by PTI’s founder, won the most seats, while Sharif’s party won 69.
The EU noted a lack of fair competition due to some political actors unable to participate and restrictions on freedoms like assembly and expression.
The US criticized restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, along with violence against media workers. Some US lawmakers like Ro Khanna and Ilhan Omar voiced worries, urging the State Department not to recognize a winner until allegations of misconduct are investigated.
Michael Kugelman from the Wilson Center said the statements from the EU and US were mild given the scale of the reported issues.
The EU, US, and Britain said they’d cooperate with the next government but didn’t congratulate any party or candidate.
British foreign minister David Cameron expressed concerns about the fairness and inclusivity of the elections.
