Ref.: Request for Correction
Dear Sir,
In an article published in your newspaper on 9 January 2008, your correspondent in Lahore wrote that the Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission, Michael Gahler, had received evidence of alleged rigging from political parties.
This is incorrect.
The EU Election Observation Mission to Pakistan would therefore request you to publish the following correction:
EU Chief Observer Michael Gahler met with the leader of the PML-N, Nawaz Sharif, in Lahore on 8 January 2007. It is part of the Missions mandate to meet with representatives of all political parties and other election stakeholders. The Chief Observer has also met with leaders of the PML-Q, the PPP, the ECP and members of the care-taker government.
During the meeting with the Chief Observer in Lahore, Mr. Sharif made a number of verbal allegations of rigging, however he did not provide evidence or proof. As the Chief Observer stated during the press conference in Lahore, the EU Election Observation Mission has received numerous allegations of rigging from various political parties. In all such cases the mission urges those who have complaints to submit them to the competent authorities. The mission will then monitor to see if these complaints are being dealt with in a timely, effective and transparent manner.
The EU Election Observation Mission to Pakistan would be grateful if you could publish this correction prominently in tomorrows edition of your newspaper.
Yours sincerely,
Mathias Eick
