The Way I See It
Letter to be signed by 100 people to the ECP

Letter to be signed by 100 people to the ECP

The ECP can change the politics of Pakistan by disqualifying some people. We can play our part by signing this letter.

Naeem Sadiq February 23, 2013

Justice Mr Fakhruddin G Ebrahim,
Chief Election Commissioner,
Pak Secretariat, Block 44 A
Shahrah-e-Iraq, Saddar
Karachi

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Citizens’ demand

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Honourable sir,

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has a historic opportunity to forever change the dark and disreputable politics of Pakistan. Free and fair elections will remain hollow clichés unless the ECP acts to purge the past violators and creates an effective filtration process for the future lawmakers.

We, the ‘Citizens for Fair Elections’ demand that the Election Commission put an end to the eternal recycling of political sewage by taking the following bold steps:

1. Disqualify all fake degree holders:

The ECP should order the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to provide exact details of all parliamentarians who either have fake degrees or have concealed their degrees to prevent verification by HEC. Both categories of parliamentarians should be disqualified for their fraud and dishonest actions.

2. Disqualify all dual nationals:

The ECP should ask for an affidavit and verify from other sources the dual nationality status of each legislator. Those with dual nationality or those who do not provide an affidavit confirming that they are not dual nationals should be disqualified.

This should include people like Rehman Malik who acquired and then presumably gave up their dual nationality. Article 63C of the constitution reads,

“A person shall be disqualified from being elected as a Member of Parliament if he acquires the citizenship of a foreign state.”

The act of once acquiring is sufficient to disqualify a legislator.

3. Disqualify loan defaulters:

(Details may be obtained from the State Bank of Pakistan and all banks.)

4. Disqualify tax evaders:

(Details may be obtained from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the last five years.)

5. Disqualify defaulters of utility bills:

(Details may be obtained from all utility service providers for the last five years.)

"ECP should get the exact details for the past five years from SBP, FBR and utilities service providers and disqualify all those legislators who have violated articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution."

Yours sincerely,

Name:
Address:
Signature:

Dear Readers,

Please read the following letter to the ECP, and if you agree to the terms set forth, print out a copy, sign it and post it to the address provided at the top. Please do provide your insight and decision in the comments thread below as well.

Follow Naeem on Twitter @saynotoweapons

WRITTEN BY:
Naeem Sadiq Works in the area of occupational health, environment and safety. He tweets @saynotoweapons

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (22)

Muhammad | 11 years ago | Reply @Waleed: I quote – “Since citizenship carries with it a responsibility to be exclusively loyal to one country, the whole concept of dual citizenship and nationality raises questions about which of the dual citizenship’s have priority.” While we at the Temple of Ansar Al-Haqq don’t deny issues such as these to be a controversy that should be addressed, as stated above in our excerpt from the Law of nations; “Every thing ought to be conducted according to its nature. Nations cannot be well governed without such regulations as are suitable to their respective characters; and in order to this, their characters ought to be known.” Therefore, from the spiritual protection offered by being a part of a nation of peace, we best think the security of allegiance is safeguarded when that nations people conduct themselves in the manner complementary to their nature.

winston | 11 years ago | Reply These pencil necks who talk about disqualify dual nationls needs to be reminded that the dual nationals sent 14 billion dollars to this country. Without them you will have load shedding for 22 hours a day, eat daal all the time and you will be standing with a bowl on evey corner.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

gp65 | 11 years ago | Reply Your heart is in the right place. But are you sure you have thought things through? DO check out Najam Sethis's program on Feb 25 which deals in great detail on the issues you have referred to in this blog.

p r sharma | 11 years ago | Reply @Waleed: " i won’t disqualify dual national. " Then please demand an amendment in the constitution as the dual citizenship holder is barred of becoming a law maker. I fully endorse the demands which are genuine, subscribing the view that law breakers can't be law makers.

Ahmad Aziz | 11 years ago | Reply This letter-writing campaign is a strong step to ensure fair elections in Pakistan. I also noticed a petition asking for the promotion of Punjabi language. Sadly the majority of Pakistanis speak Punjabi but it has no official status in Punjab. Here is the petition: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/EndDiscriminationagainstPunjabiLanguageandSpeakersinPakistan/?cIhuGab

Adnan | 11 years ago | Reply Blown away at how moronic people are... If they had bothered reading the law and following up on recent developments.. ECP is doing all of this for the last 2 years or so already.. so writing a letter about it... I genuinely do not see the point of it...instead of writing letters stating the obvious.. may be ,,, just may be... some people can spend time actually reading the newspapers and the constitution of this country....

zahid | 11 years ago | Reply I completely agree with the idea of writing to theEC.There is no harm in reinforcing the spine of the noble body, which though has yet to prove its credentials.All out efforts are needed to root out the shamelessly corrupt from our politics.

AQEEL | 11 years ago | Reply inshallah i will mail it tomorrow

Hamza | 11 years ago | Reply @Waleed: Bro I completely agree with you that overseas Pakistani's are a huge blessing to the nation. But the people in the assembly can only be a national of 1 country. It's morally wrong to take two oaths and saying that you would defend both the countries, it's impossible

ovais | 11 years ago | Reply @waleed .. if you believe in pakistan then leave ur nationality ... having a plan b means u can just snap and leave

Arshad Kamal Khan | 11 years ago | Reply Why is it that in Pakistan one has to remind the state machinery, doctors, lawyers, bureaucrats, of the fundamentals of their duties? Is it not that when a person is assigned to a job, that he, first of all, acquires the knowledge of the duties he has to perform? Why is it that the P.M., President, MP'S seem constantly to remind each other and the office bearers of their duties? Why does the ECP just simply does not deliver what is expected of it. Why does the public have to remind the ECP of what it should, by the powers and edicts given to it, act in a fair and forceful manner to enforce them. The fundamental duties of all the government offices from the President to the lowest government officials has been trampled upon, abused, raped. Mediocrity rules in Pakistan. The President cannot deliver a speech without reading it, his spoken English is bad and so are many legislators who dabble in Urdu and English to complete a sentence. Question is whether Pakistan deserves these ignorant, unread, vile people who have metastasized in the body of this beautiful country and have snatched away the innocence of its people and now seem to be incurable.

repeater | 11 years ago | Reply what about criminals????????

S.Nasir Mehdi | 11 years ago | Reply I fully agree with the writer it is time to eliminate these scoundrels and professional looters have not only property outside but they have dual nationality. Let the young ones come forward and take security and NAKAS in their own hands. Keep a wath on suspicious people. If a man is running after committing a crime these your Baseege ( Besieged) or committees. Take exmplle of Iran which was and is being controlled these young people from colleges/schools and other part time workers and labourers.

Nasir Mahmood | 11 years ago | Reply I endorse the above suggestions and if implemented, I see the bright future of Pakistan.

Shoaib | 11 years ago | Reply The day these steps are implemented, we will be seeing a new Pakistan, the chances of which are less than 1%

Waleed | 11 years ago | Reply @Awais...SKMH phir poora pakistan ki zakaat pe kiyu nai chala sakte bahir se paise kiyu laate ho. logical baat karo abhi economy daikhi hai nai pakistani ki isolation ki baat karne lag te ho. aur aik aur cheez agar paiso ka aik hissa jo k maire relatives k paas jaata hai woh kiya spend nai karte?..tax lagta hai harr cheez pe. mai kiya tax return leta hoo nai na?. so paise wahi ki economy ka hissa ban jaate hai jis se tumhare paas abhi tak jo kuch bhi hai mulk woh chal raha hai. PS. dimag istemaal karna seekho awaiz

Awais | 11 years ago | Reply @Waleed! Do you send foreign remittance to national treasury directly? You send your money to your relatives in Pakistan. If you feel so sad about sending foreign remittance and not getting right to take part in elections then stop sending remittances to your relatives in Pakistan. Can you?

Asif | 11 years ago | Reply How about banning political parties with militant wings??

Parvez | 11 years ago | Reply The thought process behind this is appreciable and although I am sure the ECP is well aware of this, there is no harm in showing the ECP that the people support them in cleansing the system. The alternative is another 5 years of inept governance coupled with loot and plunder.

Hussein El-Edroos | 11 years ago | Reply I intend to mail the letter. The ECP may well what to do but public sentiment will keep them on the right path.

A Peshawary | 11 years ago | Reply There is nothing new in the letter, a vibrant and competent ECP need not be reminded of their duties. Their performance is exceptional and unprecedented in Pakistan's history. They deserve letters of appreciation and support for job well done. Perhaps it is first ECP of its nature does not requiring any advise or suggestion. ECP deserves all the praise for their performance so far and well wishes for future, election under this ECP shall be free and fair to maximum probability. A Peshawary.

Waleed | 11 years ago | Reply i won't disqualify dual national. hum log itni remittance dete hai aur kuch log mairi tarha jo pakistan ko behtar karna chahte unke liye toh mauqa hi nai banega pakistan ko sahi karne politics banne k through. agar remittance accept karna chorh do toh phir i will sign this letter

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