ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Friday announced that training of senior election officials for the Afghan presidential elections voting to be held in Pakistan for Afghan refugees began this week in Islamabad.
Fifteen national and seven international trainers were undergoing three days of election and procedural training. These trainers will be training over 10,000 staff needed to run the polling stations for the elections.
Talking to Dawn, Head of Training with the Afghanistan Out of Country Registration and Voting Programme Peter Erban said: "Bringing the vote to Afghan refugees has been made possible through the programme in Pakistan and Iran."
The massive task of registering these voters and conducting the elections had been given to the IOM, he added. "The IOM will carry out the process on behalf of the United Nations Assistance in Afghanistan and the Afghan government's Joint Election Management Body," he said.
Afghan women and men of 18 years of age and above would be eligible to vote. Mr Erban said through extensive public awareness campaigns, the IOM would be informing Afghans of their right to vote, and especially encourage women participation.
"Pakistan, offers greater challenge. There has been no Afghan refugees registration to provide exact numbers of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan, but the available figure is 3 million. Estimates show that a little of over 40 per cent of these 3 million are eligible for voting and are scattered in refugee camps and in urban areas."
The IOM will conduct voter registration in Pakistan prior to the elections scheduled to be held from October 1-3. In Pakistan, more than 1,800 registration stations will be established at approximately 300 locations. "The stations will be set up in the refugee camps of the NWFP and Balochistan as well as in the provincial capitals of Peshawar and Quetta," the official said.
Those applying for registration would be required to confirm their Afghan nationality and their eligibility to participate in the election, he added. "Security of voters and staff on registration and election days is taken care of.
There is complete support from the government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Interior. Pakistani security personnel will be present at registration and voting stations," Mr Erban said.
An MoU has been signed with Pakistan government to allow campaigning, he said. The money for the process will be coming from the Afghan Trust Fund, administered by United Nations Development Programme, and Afghans themselves. "Afghans are showing great enthusiasm and are eager to vote. Statics show that the turn out is going to be very high," he said.
