Letter to ministries: ECP seeks army security for voter verification
Also invites political parties in Karachi to take part in consultations on delimitations.
ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has dispatched letters to the defence and interior secretaries for providing the services of Pakistan Army and Frontier Constabulary (FC) during the door-to-door voter verification process in Karachi.
According to a press release on Friday, the letters requested the secretaries to issue instructions for necessary arrangements so that ECP may start the process under proper security in the last week of December. It further asks them to direct authorities concerned to remain in touch with the Sindh election commission to finalise the security plan.
“The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan in its order on December 5, has directed ECP to carry out complete door to door verification of electoral rolls in Karachi … the effective part of the SC’s order reads that: In view of the peculiar security situation in Karachi such verification must be carried out … with the help and assistance of Pakistan Army and FC,” read the letter issued to the defence and interior secretaries.
According to ECP officials, there are 8.6 million voters in Karachi. Door-to-door verification of voters in the economic hub will start from December 17 and is expected to take close to a month. Once the process is completed, the National Database and Registration Authority will cross-check the data gathered with its databases.
Taking political parties on board
Meanwhile, the ECP has also decided to take political parties in Karachi onboard to examine the delimitation of constituencies in the city.
According to another ECP press release, the commission has sent letters to various political parties, asking them to send two representatives to attend its meeting on December 20 at the ECP Secretariat.
The letters cite the SC’s order on delimitation, which states that “To avoid political polarisation and to break the cycle of ethnic strife, the boundaries of administrative units ought to be altered so that the members of different communities may live together in peace and harmony,”
According to the ECP secretary, so far 10 political parties have submitted their proposals for delimitation.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2012.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has dispatched letters to the defence and interior secretaries for providing the services of Pakistan Army and Frontier Constabulary (FC) during the door-to-door voter verification process in Karachi.
According to a press release on Friday, the letters requested the secretaries to issue instructions for necessary arrangements so that ECP may start the process under proper security in the last week of December. It further asks them to direct authorities concerned to remain in touch with the Sindh election commission to finalise the security plan.
“The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan in its order on December 5, has directed ECP to carry out complete door to door verification of electoral rolls in Karachi … the effective part of the SC’s order reads that: In view of the peculiar security situation in Karachi such verification must be carried out … with the help and assistance of Pakistan Army and FC,” read the letter issued to the defence and interior secretaries.
According to ECP officials, there are 8.6 million voters in Karachi. Door-to-door verification of voters in the economic hub will start from December 17 and is expected to take close to a month. Once the process is completed, the National Database and Registration Authority will cross-check the data gathered with its databases.
Taking political parties on board
Meanwhile, the ECP has also decided to take political parties in Karachi onboard to examine the delimitation of constituencies in the city.
According to another ECP press release, the commission has sent letters to various political parties, asking them to send two representatives to attend its meeting on December 20 at the ECP Secretariat.
The letters cite the SC’s order on delimitation, which states that “To avoid political polarisation and to break the cycle of ethnic strife, the boundaries of administrative units ought to be altered so that the members of different communities may live together in peace and harmony,”
According to the ECP secretary, so far 10 political parties have submitted their proposals for delimitation.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2012.