Mass fraud

We may be moving steadily closer to a system where it becomes possible to pick up electoral fraud, using sophisticated electronic technology now available. Following the moving of an electoral tribunal by a PTI candidate, Muhammad Zubair Khan, who according to announced results had lost by a huge margin to the MQM’s Iqbal Muhammad Ali in NA 256, Karachi, NADRA has put before the tribunal evidence showing that over 57,000 votes could not be verified in the constituency. Around 5,893 duplicate and 1,950 fake votes were also cast. Widespread irregularities had also been uncovered previously on NA-250, also in Karachi — the city where it is now quite clear the most problems arose at the time of the general poll. Allegations made then are turning out to be justified.

NADRA deserves full credit for undertaking a meticulous scrutiny process. This involved checking counterfoils, comparing fingerprints and running through the CNIC numbers submitted at the time of balloting. From this exercise it has transpired that some 57,000 thumb prints were unverifiable. Expired CNIC cards had also been used and a single individual had voted 35 times against different names. We call now for punishment for the perpetrators to prevent such misdeeds in the future and set a precedent. This is vital to our system.

The good news though is that this system now seems to be moving in the right direction. The means to detect fraud are in place. The poll reforms necessary to carry out the checks, put in place before the May 11 election, were a sound move. They have paid off. This is excellent news for us all, and suggests we may finally be moving towards a process where polling can take place in a manner designed to eliminate fraud and ensure that the electoral process, which stands at the centre of our democracy, is not marred in any way by attempts to tamper with it and drown out the voices of the people who must be freely allowed to choose their representatives in the assemblies.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2013.

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