Fact-check: Has ECP banned international observers from monitoring polls?

Multiple Pakistani social media users appear to believe claims that the Election Commission has refused to allow international election observers to monitor the upcoming general election.

The claim is false.

Claim

“The Election Commission is not granting permission to international observers for the election,” wrote a Twitter user on June 5, further asking, “They claim that the election will be free and fair, then why stop international observers?”

The tweet has been retweeted over 2,500 times and liked 5,400, to date.

The identical text has been shared on Facebook as well.

Fact

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is tasked with conducting polls in Pakistan, confirms that no such instructions or directions have been issued by the body.

“These claims are propaganda and not based on facts,” Qurat-ul-Ain Fatima, the spokesperson for the ECP, told Geo Fact Check via messages, “The ECP has not stopped any foreign observers from monitoring the next national election.”

Fatima added that the ECP is governed by the Election Act 2017, which has laid out special directions regarding local and international election observers during general polls.

Section 238 of the Act states that the election body “may allow any domestic or international election observation organization to observe the process of conduct of election, having access to polling stations, counting of votes and consolidation of results.”

The spokesperson also explained that international election-observing organisations would apply for accreditation with the ECP once the election schedule is announced.

With additional reporting by Muhammad Binyameen Iqbal

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