Commonwealth Secretariat
  1. Home
  2. What's New
  3. Who We Are
  4. What We Do
    1. Democracy
    2. Economics
    3. Education
    4. Gender
    5. Governance
    6. Health
    7. Human Rights
    8. Law
    9. Small States
    10. Sport
    11. Sustainability
    12. Youth
    13. Millennium Development Goals
    14. Funding
  5. News
    1. Events
    2. News Archive Search
    3. Picture Stories
  6. Media Room
    1. Press Archive Search
    2. Media Contacts
    3. Video
    4. Events
    5. In the Media
    6. Updates
    7. Downloads
  7. Resources
    1. Documents
    2. Image Library
    3. Libary & Archives
    4. Publications
  8. Publications
  9. Employment
  10. FAQs
    1. Acronyms
  11. Contact Us
Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Report Helps Consolidate Democracy in Pakistan

7 April 1997

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, today released the full Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the General Election held in Pakistan on 3 February 1997. In a statement from Marlborough House, the Secretary-General said that while the Observer Group had declared the election to have been a credible one which reflected a free expression of will by the people of Pakistan, it had also made a number of suggestions aimed at promoting the effective functioning of the elected government. These had been communicated, in the first instance, to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for consideration. The suggestions, based closely on the Harare principles, covered issues relating to the functioning of democratic processes and institutions in Pakistan.

The Commonwealth Observer Group was led by former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. It is believed that its suggestions facilitated the constitutional amendments unanimously passed by the National Assembly and Senate in Pakistan last week, which effectively put parliamentary democracy in Pakistan on a firmer basis

In his statement, Chief Anyaoku said: "I believe it is appropriate and in keeping with established Commonwealth practice that the full Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group, should be made known. I feel that Mr Fraser and his colleagues have performed a valuable service in the promotion of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values, which is the essential objective of Commonwealth election observer exercises."

 


Note to Editors

A group of 14 Observers, supported by 9 staff members of the Commonwealth Secretariat, were in Pakistan from 25 January to 6 February 1997. This was the 20th election observed by the Commonwealth since October 1990.

The Harare Commonwealth Declaration was adopted by Heads of Government in 1991 and commits member states to uphold fundamental political values which include democracy, democratic processes and institutions, fundamental human rights, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, equality for women and just and honest government.

 

97/17 7 April 1997

 

Share this page
About this

ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int