Commonwealth officials to be present for Pakistan local elections

Commonwealth officials will be present for each of the four phases of Pakistan's local elections - to be held between December 2000 and June 2001 - as representatives of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don McKinnon.

Announcing the decision in London today, Mr McKinnon said he is sending the officials so that they can give him a first-hand report of their impressions of the process.

The Secretary-General will be sending two officials for the first phase of the elections, which will take place on 31 December 2000. They are Director of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Mr Carl Wright and Deputy Director of the Commonwealth Secretariat Political Affairs Division, Mr Christopher Child.




00/111 28 December 2000