The Australia government has said that as a friend of Pakistan, it has consistently called for a free, fair, inclusive and credible election process – in line with Pakistan’s Constitution and its international obligations.
“We express our condolences for the loss of life incurred by terrorist attacks in the lead-up to and during elections,” said a statement by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government, on Saturday.
The statement said that Australia welcomes the increase in the number of women registered to vote and the fact that millions of Pakistanis chose to vote.
“It is regrettable, however, that the Pakistani people were restricted in their choice since not all political parties were allowed to contest these elections,” it said.
The statement said that Australia supports a democratic, stable and prosperous Pakistan which upholds its commitments to democratic principles including human rights, media freedoms, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.
“As a long-standing partner we look forward to working with Pakistan towards a shared vision of an open, stable, prosperous and inclusive region,” it added.
