LONDON: The caretaker administration has invited international observers, including dozens of foreign media who have been granted permits to cover polls, to keep an eye on the general elections scheduled for February 8.
According to the administration, the granting of visas demonstrates the dedication to guaranteeing free and fair elections in compliance with the mandate of the constitution.
In response to questions about the visas granted to media and observers, a source stated that the caretaker administration and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) are dedicated to holding fair elections and upholding their constitutional duty.
Pakistan’s general elections on February 8 provide a swift and democratic transfer of power, and the state institutions are dedicated to carrying out their mandates within these institutions and are steadfast in ensuring free and fair elections.
Christina Lamb of The Times is among the 37 British journalists who have been given visas by the Pakistan High Commission in London to cover the upcoming general elections. Lamb has been deported from Pakistan before facing several visa denials over a period of time. To cover the election process, teams from CNN, Sky, BBC, and ITV are also in route to Pakistan.
A portion of them have arrived already, and the rest will arrive this week. The polls will be covered by the teams from The Telegraph and Channel 4 News.
As per the directions of the Pakistani government, every one of them will help to guarantee the conduct of free and fair elections, according to the high commission in London.
The 37 journalists include Christina Lamb of The Times, David Smallwood of CBC, Ben Famer of The Telegraph, Dominic John of CNN, Krever Mick Brinkman of CNN, Shelley Joanna Marie of CNN, Lynne O’Donnell of Foreign Policy Magazine, Messey Dean Anthony of Sky News, Steven Harry Gerald of Sky News, Britton Jake Anthony of Sky News, Cordelia Lynch of Sky News, Sharp Duncan of Sky News, Scholes Katherine Victoria of Sky News, Adam Campbell of BBC News, Mohamed Madi of BBC News, Jamie Paul Jones of BBC News, Paul Michael Adams of BBC News, and Rajini Vaidyanathan of BBC News are among the 37 journalists, according to a list seen by Geo News.
Imogen Alexandra Berenice of BBC News, Cunningham Christopher of Sky News, Mockler Richard of Sky News, Crawford Alex of Sky News, Pachael Thorn of Sky News, James Pensley of Sky News, Emma Murphy of ITV, and Lucky Watson of Sky News are also included on the list.
ITV; Producer Natalie Wright; Presenter Natasha Tierney; Mark Nelson; Kenneth Stewart; Sky News; Stuart Ramsay; Dominique Van Heerden F; Martin Vowles; Sky News; Toby Nash; Millicent Florence Teasdale; Channel 4 News; Freddie Gower; and John William Bevir, Feature Story.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi stated on January 23 that 32 visa requests were still pending out of the 49 visas that had been granted for Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. There were delays in India due to the manual visa system.
Furthermore, 174 petitions for international media and their Pakistani employees’ Accreditation Cards from the election administration were handled. There were thirteen applications from Japan, two from South Africa, eight from Russia, five from the Commonwealth, and twenty-five from the United Kingdom.
Ambreen Jan, the executive director general for the External Publicity Wing of the Press Information Department, reported that 81 foreign journalists applied for visas to cover the election, originating from 14 different nations.
49 of these have been granted visas, and the remaining petitions are now being processed. 55 applications have also been submitted to be international election observers.
