The hot seat: PTI, JI, Pasban support biometric system, MQM disagrees

PTI protests appointment of KWSB, NBP employees as presiding officers

KARACHI: As Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah ruled out biometric voting in the upcoming NA-246 by-polls in Karachi, the various parties contesting the elections shared their views on the new voting method.

The Rangers had on Tuesday demanded the introduction of a biometric system for voting and the installation of security cameras at polling stations in order to ensure free and fair elections on the NA-246 seat on April 23.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidate Kanwar Naveed claimed that although the party had never opposed the installation of CCTV cameras, it had reservations about the use of the biometric verification system. "Many by-elections have been held since the 2013 general elections without such measures, so why are the other parties demanding them in this by-poll?" he asked.

He added that the biometric system had not yet been tested and could give inaccurate results. "We have seen during the SIM verification process that the biometric machines are not reliable," claimed Naveed, adding that the Rangers, who had been given the duties of judicial magistrate, will stand inside and outside the polling stations on the day of the elections.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Imran Ismail said that they stood by the demand for free and fair elections that they had presented to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He criticised the MQM for opposing biometric voting. "MQM knows it has already lost the seat, which is why they are resorting to such tactics."

Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Rashid Naseem said that his party also wanted biometric verification in the constituency. "It is important for democracy that the polling is free and fair," he said. "After the revelations made by [politician] Nabil Gabol, it is crucial for the MQM itself that the by-elections are conducted with the help of this system."

Pasban-e-Pakistan candidate Usman Moazzam also demanded the use of the biometric system. "During the SIM verification process, we have seen different mobile network franchises set up on the roads," he pointed out. "Why can this system not be used on such an important day then?"

Shah had also announced that, given the lack of time before election day, the installation of CCTV cameras at each polling station was also not possible.

PTI protests appointments

The PTI Karachi chapter has written a letter to Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, the chief election commissioner, protesting the appointment of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) staff as presiding officers for the NA-246 by-elections.

"We strongly protest the appointment of presiding officers from amongst the officers of KWSB and NBP and find these appointments unacceptable, as their appointment will greatly affect the transparency of the elections," stated the letter.

The party has also expressed its concerns over the appointment of presiding officers who are government employees from any ministry that has been under an MQM minister. It requested the ECP that those appointed should be federal government employees, saying that they would otherwise be biased towards other parties or individuals.

The letter further demanded that the ECP should review and appoint people whose impartiality could not be questioned.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2015.