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Pakistan rejects Commonwealth request

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has turned down a request by the Commonwealth for sending its observers to monitor the January 8 general elections. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said on Wednesday as the Commonwealth is to review its suspension of Pakistan after January 8, Islamabad would postpone contact with the grouping until after then.

“The Commonwealth itself has announced that they will review this relationship with Pakistan after the elections on January 8.

“We think it is appropriate that our active contact with the Commonwealth should start when they start reviewing the relationship with Pakistan,” the spokesman said at the regular weekly briefing of the Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan has approved visas for more than 200 other observers, the spokesman said.

Of these, 60 are from the U.S. Republican party-affiliated International Republican Institute.

The number also includes “dozens” of foreign journalists, many of whom have already arrived in Pakistan, he said.

The Election Commission has issued a code of conduct for observers, asking them not to ask any questions to voters or advise election officials at the voting booths about procedures.

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