Voter verification restarted in troubled areas

These sensitive neighbourhoods were identified by JI, PML-N and PTI leaders.

KARACHI:

The voter verification of those areas where some political parties had expressed their reservations has been restarted - although without the presence of the army.

Around 44 areas were identified by the leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in a meeting, said the provincial election commissioner, Mehboob Anwar.

Some blocks of PECHS, Buffer Zone, KAECHS, Azam Basti, Chanesar Goth, Chanesar Halt and other neighbourhoods were marked as areas where a single political party dominated. Around 82 per cent of the field work has been completed and the remaining areas will be covered by February 10.

“In some areas, our field workers could not go out because of the strike,” Anwar explained. “If the situation continues, the election commission will face hurdles to meet even the new deadline.”

Meanwhile, an Inter-Services Public Relations spokesperson said that the army is continuously providing a secure environment to the election commission staff. Even Rangers and police representatives are also accompanying the officers door-to-door, he said. “We have been asked to perform these duties for three more days,” he added.

The voter verification process began on January 10. In the first phase, four days were spent counting houses and the verification of electoral rolls was supposed to take place till February 1.

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