Karachi, Dec 25: A team of international observers has arrived in Pakistan to monitor the January 8, 2008 general election.

The team sent by Washington-based International Republican Institute (IRI) started its scheduled visits to Sindh starting from Jamshoro district on Monday.

Initially the team met with Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur, the Pakistan People's Party candidate for NA-231, Sehwan-Kotri, who briefed them about upcoming polls.

Talpur told the foreign observers that the PPP welcomed the most recent steps taken by Musharraf, especially giving up the uniform and removing emergency, and added that the PPP expected he would also hold free and fair elections.

He also feared there might be rigging as the caretaker government was partisan and the state functionaries were running election campaign of a certain political party.

Talpur told election observers that the PPP candidates from Dadu and Jamshoro districts have strong reservations over the state resources being used by the same party's candidates in these districts.

He also showed them a documentary proof particularly about political transfers and postings on the directives of the former rulers.

The team was also apprised of the fact that some close relatives of the caretaker ministers and even of Prime Minister were in the election run and who were being supported by the area DCOs and DPOs.

The IRI team consisted of Aoun Geoung Keyong of Malaysia, Kirsipy Keryo of Youngnda, Roseni of Singapore, Soumera of USA and Zulfiqar of Pakistan.

On the occasion, team's senior member Aoun Geoung of Malaysia said that the team was in Pakistan to look into the efforts being taken by the present government for holding free and fair elections.

The News quoted Geoung as saying that they were also meeting with the district Nazms, citizens and candidates to know their reservations and opinions. (ANI)