Summary of recommendations: ECP disowns contents of its election review report
Complains selected excerpts were reported out of context. Claims two volume final report will be released shortly.
ISLAMABAD:
A day after media picked up on its “Post Election Review Report 2013”, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disowned it, claiming that it was a mere summary of recommendations from various stakeholders.
Without naming any organisation, ECP in an official handout, criticised different ‘quarters’ for what it called creating a furor on daily basis to mislead and confuse the nation.
“The ECP clarifies that the Post Election Review Report 2013 being commented upon is not the Election Commission’s Report on General Election 2013, but it is a summary of the recommendations received from various stakeholders including international observers, domestic observers and feedback provided by District Returning Officers, Returning Officers, Presiding Officers, polling officials, security officials, general public including male, female, youth, persons with disabilities and minorities.
"The purpose behind preparation of this report is to identify areas requiring further improvement based on lessons learnt during 2013 General Elections," the ECP said in its clarification note.
"This report then led to launching of the Election Commission’s second Strategic Plan 2014-2018 containing 13 Goals and 162 Objectives to be achieved during next five years as well as development of a Draft Unified Law 2014 also containing necessary amendments to be carried out by the Parliament in various laws,” the official ECP handout read.
However, the draft report available on its official website, along with title clearly mentioned ECP logo on its first page.
Compiled by a committee headed by Additional Director General ECP as chairman Syed Sher Afgan, the panel comprised a total of 16 members. Among the committee were eight ECP officials, three UNDP representatives and five IFES officials whose names and portfolios have been clearly mentioned in the report.
The contents of the draft report contradict the ECP’s new claim. It contains committee’s findings, comments and recommendations. This comprehensive report contains a total of ten chapters and two separate annexures. Most of the chapters are apparently based on committee’s own findings and recommendations with no citation given anywhere.
The reports of the election observers and parliamentary panel were clearly mentioned in separate chapters.
Completed on December 9, 2013- as per the title page, the commission did not make the report public till it was shared on its website recently.
“It is important to point out that this Post Election Review Report, Strategic Plan 2014-2018 and the Draft Unified Law were presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms on September 19, 2014 and thereafter the Election Commission deemed it appropriate to share it with the stakeholders and the nation to let them know how much effort has gone into this so that if any other quarter showing interest in electoral reforms should be aware of the same so that then they could forward any additional electoral reform proposals to the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for consideration."
However, the ECP complained that "out of context version based on few excerpts of the report" had been published and telecast. "This has further added to the thick fog of confusion already created by some vested interests to give air to unfounded and baseless doubts about fairness and credibility of the General Elections 2013 which have been hailed by the whole world and have raised the image of Pakistan internationally.”
The handout further reads that the Report on General Elections 2013 is yet to be published; it will contain two volumes, one has been printed, and the other is being finalised where-after it will be released shortly.
It also mentions that the Commission feels it necessary to point out that it is preparing a fact-sheet on various issues being raised about role of Returning Officers, printing of ballot papers, use of magnetised ink etc. which will be deliberated upon by the Election Commission during the ongoing week for necessary decisions to dispel once again the unfounded allegations about the General Election 2013.
The fact-sheet will be presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms on September 29, 2014 it added.
A day after media picked up on its “Post Election Review Report 2013”, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disowned it, claiming that it was a mere summary of recommendations from various stakeholders.
Without naming any organisation, ECP in an official handout, criticised different ‘quarters’ for what it called creating a furor on daily basis to mislead and confuse the nation.
“The ECP clarifies that the Post Election Review Report 2013 being commented upon is not the Election Commission’s Report on General Election 2013, but it is a summary of the recommendations received from various stakeholders including international observers, domestic observers and feedback provided by District Returning Officers, Returning Officers, Presiding Officers, polling officials, security officials, general public including male, female, youth, persons with disabilities and minorities.
"The purpose behind preparation of this report is to identify areas requiring further improvement based on lessons learnt during 2013 General Elections," the ECP said in its clarification note.
"This report then led to launching of the Election Commission’s second Strategic Plan 2014-2018 containing 13 Goals and 162 Objectives to be achieved during next five years as well as development of a Draft Unified Law 2014 also containing necessary amendments to be carried out by the Parliament in various laws,” the official ECP handout read.
However, the draft report available on its official website, along with title clearly mentioned ECP logo on its first page.
Compiled by a committee headed by Additional Director General ECP as chairman Syed Sher Afgan, the panel comprised a total of 16 members. Among the committee were eight ECP officials, three UNDP representatives and five IFES officials whose names and portfolios have been clearly mentioned in the report.
The contents of the draft report contradict the ECP’s new claim. It contains committee’s findings, comments and recommendations. This comprehensive report contains a total of ten chapters and two separate annexures. Most of the chapters are apparently based on committee’s own findings and recommendations with no citation given anywhere.
The reports of the election observers and parliamentary panel were clearly mentioned in separate chapters.
Completed on December 9, 2013- as per the title page, the commission did not make the report public till it was shared on its website recently.
“It is important to point out that this Post Election Review Report, Strategic Plan 2014-2018 and the Draft Unified Law were presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms on September 19, 2014 and thereafter the Election Commission deemed it appropriate to share it with the stakeholders and the nation to let them know how much effort has gone into this so that if any other quarter showing interest in electoral reforms should be aware of the same so that then they could forward any additional electoral reform proposals to the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for consideration."
However, the ECP complained that "out of context version based on few excerpts of the report" had been published and telecast. "This has further added to the thick fog of confusion already created by some vested interests to give air to unfounded and baseless doubts about fairness and credibility of the General Elections 2013 which have been hailed by the whole world and have raised the image of Pakistan internationally.”
The handout further reads that the Report on General Elections 2013 is yet to be published; it will contain two volumes, one has been printed, and the other is being finalised where-after it will be released shortly.
It also mentions that the Commission feels it necessary to point out that it is preparing a fact-sheet on various issues being raised about role of Returning Officers, printing of ballot papers, use of magnetised ink etc. which will be deliberated upon by the Election Commission during the ongoing week for necessary decisions to dispel once again the unfounded allegations about the General Election 2013.
The fact-sheet will be presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms on September 29, 2014 it added.