Office-bearers of various political parties on Thursday called for strengthening of election laws and procedures, as well as brining improvement to the voter lists fearing that it would affect the coming general polls.
The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) organised a detailed briefing seeking the overview of various stakeholders in connection with long-term monitoring of the upcoming polls.
Addressing the event, Pakistan People’s Party Labour Wing President Chaudhry Manzoor said democratic norms have been strengthened during the present government’s tenure.
“Democracy is the only solution of all the problems in Pakistan,” he added.
He highlighted some of the issues being faced by the people in connection with registration in the voter lists. He, however, noted that the government was trying its best to redress them as its top priority.
He said the PPP- led coalition government vows to hold free and fair elections, adding that the polls would be organized on time to avert de-railing of democratic system.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz office-bearer Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that major issue being faced by the voters was wrong facts and figures in the voter lists, adding that the government should resolved it if free and fair elections were desired. He pointed out that voter lists being used throughout the country were “incorrect” and “unauthentic”. The PML-N leader was of the view that people had least interest in getting the lists corrected as they were fed up with the present system , following which now whole responsibility lies on the shoulders of the political workers. He said, “General approach is that if any sort of transport is available then people from that particular area leave their homes to cast their votes otherwise they prefer to sit inside their homes, which increase the responsibility of the political leaders as well as workers.”
Introducing their election monitoring strategy, FAFEN officials re-iterated their commitment to tender complete cooperation to the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure implementation of election laws. They said that FAFEN would train 43,000 observers to monitor the health of coming polls on all polling stations throughout the country, whereas all stakeholders would be kept onboard in connection with election activities.
