Northern Ireland solicitor chosen to observe general elections in Pakistan

Northern Ireland solicitor Brian Speers has been asked by the Commonwealth Secretary General to observe the forthcoming general elections in Pakistan.

Scheduled for February 8, the Bangor native will join the 13-member Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) to offer an independent and comprehensive assessment of the electoral process.

This will involve detailed briefings in Islamabad from politicians, election officials, civic society groups and others before deployment to various locations in Pakistan to observe the election visiting polling stations and meeting security and election officials as well as voters.

The COG has been appointed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC and will arrive in Islamabad on February 1 and will remain in the country until the electoral process is completed. The COG is chaired by the former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr Speers is the managing partner of CMG Cunningham Dickey based in Belfast and a former president of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) and the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

He has extensive international legal experience and has participated in observing the 2023 elections in Zimbabwe.

Commenting, Mr Speers, said “I am honoured to have again been asked to take part in a Commonwealth Election Observer Group and look forward to joining my colleagues in Islamabad to be briefed and then to observe all aspects of the election process in Pakistan.”