PILDAT report: Vast improvement seen in 2013 election

ISLAMABAD: The overall quality percentage of the pre-poll phase of General Election 2013 has been rated at 62.35% as compared to 30.59% and 32.94% of General Elections 2002 and 2008, respectively, according to a position paper of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT). Though charges of small scale rigging and irregularities were levelled by different political parties and individuals, the overall quality of elections showed a considerable improvement over General Elections of 2002 and 2008, said PILDAT report titled Assessment of the Quality of General Elections 2013. It said that in light of unexpected level of complaints on the conduct of election, it tried to assess quality of General Election 2013 under three broad phases: the pre-poll phase, the polling day operation and the post-poll phase.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th,2014.