• Welcomes any scrutiny, inquiry and audit

ISLAMABAD, November 20, 2021: Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has rejected the malicious smear campaign and baseless allegations by one of its former members, who was expelled from the network for misconduct a few days ago, said a press statement issued by the Executive Council of FAFEN here on Saturday.

The statement said that the allegations and insinuations raised by Mr. Sarwar Bari, National Coordinator of Pattan Development Organization for almost three decades, at a press conference in Islamabad as mala fide that are only meant to damage the integrity, credibility and unity of Pakistan’s largest non-partisan network of civil society organizations.

Mr. Bari’s accusations followed his and his organization’s termination from the basic membership of FAFEN a few days ago after he failed to provide any evidence to substantiate similar claims and his campaign against the network that he has been running since October 2021. His termination was approved by consensus by the 20-member National Council of FAFEN according to its established rules and procedures. Mr. Bari no longer represents FAFEN and its positions and neither should he use the name of the network for his social and media legitimacy.

FAFEN, which receives administrative, financial and technical support from the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA), has always upheld transparency in its working and is open for any type of scrutiny, inquiry and audit of its data, reports, finances and decision-making. It also notes with concern that Bari’s effort ahead of general election 2023 may just be an effort to damage Pakistan’s most credible, evidence-based voice on elections on the basis of flimsy, frivolous, baseless and nonsensical notions, which cannot stand in any court of law. FAFEN will use all legal options to safeguard the network from such malicious attacks.

For further queries, FAFEN’s Spokesperson Rashid Chaudhry can be contacted at 0302-8110511, or emailed at [email protected].

For Urdu Press Release, click here