Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-01-16-Speech-3-300"
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"en.20080116.14.3-300"2
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"Madam President, as Chairman of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia, I join the Council and the Commission in the condemnation of the murder of Benazir Bhutto. This Parliament has always condemned terrorism wherever it occurs and we will continue to fight for the right of politicians to express their views and to campaign in safety.
In going back to Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto knew the risks and, whether you consider her to be brave or foolhardy, you have to respect her commitment to her party and her country. In her memory and the memory of others who have died in this election period, I believe it is beholden on all of us – Europeans and Pakistanis from President Musharraf downwards – to do everything we can to assist Pakistan.
As Mr Lenarčič said, the key to this must be the continuing battle against terrorism. We have seen that terrorism is a threat in Pakistan as much as it is in Europe or the USA. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner has reminded us that hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed in shootings and suicide bombs in Pakistan, so Europe must continue to fully assist and support the counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan.
Some colleagues here might suggest we should leave Pakistan be and have little to do with it, but I firmly believe the contrary. As 27 strong democratic nations, we need to work collectively to support the economic, social and political developments in Pakistan. Again, I agree with the Council: the release of all remaining political detainees will be crucial to this process, as will ensuring free, fair, transparent and safe elections on 18 February 2008 and a safe and satisfactory run-up to that date.
In addition to what the Commissioner said, I think the election will mean that we need to have 90 million voters with proper access to news coverage of all sides of the debate. It means making a safer environment for the media. Pakistan has become the most dangerous Asian country for the media: at least six journalists were killed in 2007, some 30 seriously injured, over 100 arrested and countless harassed. We need an end to the censorship of the print and broadcast media and to restrictions on what they can say and do without interference from the military or civilian authorities. The ban on the TV news station GEO News needs to be lifted and the government television channel PTV needs to be more balanced in its news and the information it conveys to the public.
All arrangements for the actual voting, the counting and the reporting of the results need to be above board and clear to everyone, but most especially to the voters of Pakistan. A mark of democracy is also whether incumbents can accept defeat and whether political transition from one party of government to another, if it occurs, can go smoothly. All of these will be crucial factors in whether or not the elections can be counted as a true record of the will of the people and whether or not Pakistan can start to emerge from the long shadow cast by that assassin’s bullet on 27 December 2007."@en1
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