ISLAMABAD: European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) has expressed concerns about restrictions on media in Pakistan ahead of July 25 general elections, saying that this will undermine democracy in the country.
“We are greatly concerned about the restrictions on the media. The media have a vital role to play in an electoral process, and attempts to stifle the media undermine democracy and disadvantage the voter,” Michael Gahler, chief observer of the Mission, told Arab News in an exclusive interview on Saturday.
About recent suicide attacks and violence against candidates contesting the election, he said the violence must not and will not undermine the elections and the democratic process.
“Parties and candidates should have maximum opportunity to campaign, voters should have their voices heard, and people should be able to cast their ballot without fear or hindrance,” he added.
The EUEOM is deploying 120 observers across Pakistan on the polling day except Balochistan province owing to the security concerns. It will have a central team of 10 analysts in Islamabad, 60 long-term observers working in teams of two in districts across the country.
In its team, the mission also has seven members of the European Parliament and 41 diplomats from EU member state embassies in Pakistan.
Gahler said their mandate is to observe all aspects of the electoral process and assess the extent to which the elections comply with international and regional commitments for elections, as well as with national legislation.
However, he highlighted that in line with the EU long-term election methodology, the mission was ready to deploy from Europe in early June. “However, due to a series of bureaucratic delays, the first group of observers arrived only on June 24, and the mission’s 60 long-term observers in July,” he said.
The chief observer of the mission said the long-term observers were deployed across Pakistan just one week before polling day. “This is very unusual and never happened in previous missions to Pakistan, nor in any other country where the EU has observed (the elections),” he said.
He said the short period of time between now and election day has “implications on the EUEOM’s ability to thoroughly assess some key aspects of the electoral process, including the candidates' nomination process, campaign environment in different parts of the country, as well as work of election administration at the local level.”
Gahler said the mission observers have met a wide range of media, civil society and political parties at both national and provincial level. “Numerous interlocutors have expressed concerns about the election environment, and we will be giving our assessment on July 27,” he said.
The EU mission will present a preliminary report based on its observations on July 27, while a final report with recommendations for consideration will be published about two months after the end of the electoral process.
Gahler, however, declined to comment on the election preparations and role of the Election Commission of Pakistan in holding free and fair elections until after polling day.
“This is because the electoral process is still ongoing and we do not want to pre-judge a process that has not yet finished,” he added.
He also dispelled the impression that EU mission simply endorses the election results and avoids mentioning incidents of rigging, mismanagement and media censorship in its final report.
The EU Election Observation Missions never ratify results of the elections as they do not have the mandate to do so, he said. “It is for the authorities of Pakistan to ratify (election) results,” he said.
“Observer missions merely accompany an electoral process and make recommendations for reform of future electoral processes,” Gahler said.
EU observers express concerns over restrictions on media in Pakistan ahead of elections
EU observers express concerns over restrictions on media in Pakistan ahead of elections
- EUEOM has deployed 120 observers across Pakistan except Balochistan province owing to security concerns
- EU mission will present its preliminary report based on its observations on July 27, a final report two months after end of the electoral process
Old Delhi iftars revive Mughal heritage, one course at a time
- Dastarkhwan-e-Jahaanuma iftars have been held in Old Delhi since 2017
- Muslim and non-Muslim participants arrive from across India and abroad
NEW DELHI: On a rooftop in Delhi’s historic walled city, guests from across India sit on cushions around a low table overlooking Jama Masjid, waiting for its sunset call to prayer — the signal to start a special iftar that will take them back four centuries, to the Mughal era, if only for a while.
Mughals ruled the Indian subcontinent between the 16th and 19th centuries. Originally from Central Asia, they carried traditions borrowed from Arabs, Persians and Ottomans, which they merged with the various local Indian styles — a fusion that marked the global revival of Islamic architecture and culture.
Jama Masjid is one of the most iconic examples of the Mughal style — a scenic background to the curated iftars that bring 40 to 50 people from across India to share a meal, knowledge and experience.
“People getting together from different walks of life, different parts of the country, different religions, different cultures coming together — it was absolutely and completely amazing,” said Arvind Sirohi, who took part in the event with his wife.
“Lovely storytelling, amazing food, and end of the day, right next to Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. The ambience, the environment, the atmosphere came together so beautifully.”
The community-led iftar experience is called Dastarkhwan-e-Jahaanuma — from Urdu words meaning a “spread of food” and “showing the world.”
For Veena Sirohi, it did exactly what the name promised by bringing together people from different communities, different parts of India, and abroad.
“I think that’s a great way of synthesizing different cultures, bringing people together, bringing the human aspect of what we all are ... we are actually all one,” she told Arab News.
“And we had some wonderful comperes who told us about … the history of Ramadan, what goes behind it, how the food is curated, and how each and every item has a specific place in the menu.”
Served in gilded bowls and plates from traditional Indian crockery, with rose petals dotting the dastarkhwan cloth, the dishes were some of the festive Ramadan delicacies, offering a taste of Mughal culinary heritage.
Among them was mutanjan, or fragrant rice cooked with ghee, sugar, saffron, cardamom, and studded with nuts, which for many Indian Muslims is traditionally the first dish to break the fast.
It was followed by shabde, a rich, slow-cooked aromatic meat stew or the Delhi biryani — a fragrant, mildly spiced saffron rice and meat dish, where marinated chicken or mutton is layered with basmati rice and cooked slowly.
The hearty feast closed with nihari, a hearty stew simmered overnight with spices and bone marrow, which emerged in the 18th century and was originally eaten by Mughal royals for breakfast.
“These are the traditional dishes which are not usually available in the market, but are specially prepared by the bawarchees (cooks) of Old Delhi. Some of the dishes are occasional dishes,” said Abu Sufiyan Khan, the founder of Tales of City, the cultural experience company that has been curating Dastarkhwan-e-Jahaanuma since 2017.
The special iftars are hosted once a week throughout the fasting month, usually on weekends. There are variations in dishes served as they come from different kitchens, as Tales of City collaborates with various local artisans and cooks.
“We are curating this with different experts and every time the menu changes,” Khan said.
“We bring all these dishes onto a single dastarkhwan, and we share this meal with the people coming from all over India to break bread together in the holy month of Ramadan, know each other, learn about each other’s culture, and create a dialogue space where we can have more meaningful conversations and an opportunity to get to know each other.”
Those who take part, like Ayandrali Dutta, a food critic, appreciate everything about the experience, especially as it takes place in Old Delhi, where the vibe is always “jovial, lively, in all positive ways” during Ramadan.
“You get to meet interesting people, you get to hear interesting stories ... It’s a great initiative to show what Ramadan is, what kind of food is eaten, talk about the cultures between Lucknow and Delhi and other parts of the country. And it just brings a lot of happiness,” she said.
“I loved it. My heart is happy, my belly is full. Nothing else I can ask for.”
