ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: A two-member delegation of United Nations mission on Thursday showed interest in assisting the Election Commission (EC) in imparting training to polling personnel for local government elections 2005.

The mission, comprising Judge Johann Kreigler, former chief election commissioner of South Africa, and Kendra Collins, senior political affairs officer, UN Department of Political Affairs Division, visited the Election Commission.

While briefing the mission, EC Secretary Kanwar Dilshad said the commission needed financial support for three major areas namely training of election staff, including district returning officers, returning officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers; voters' education and awareness programme; and training of polling agents for ensuring transparency at the polling stations.

The UN representatives, however, observed that the mission would analyse steps taken by the commission and endorse the idea that training should be imparted to the polling personnel to conduct elections in a transparent manner.

The mission is visiting Pakistan to provide a realistic assessment to the EC of the existing conditions including legal, political, human rights, material and institutional situation. It will also evaluate the capacity of the commission to address the challenges in holding the LG polls.

Besides this, the mission will also provide an assessment of pre-elections technical assistance and needs, and recommend practical and cost-effective means of targeting the UN assistance for LG polls.

Mr Dilshad told the mission that the commission had always acted in accordance with law in providing conducive environment to the voters to elect their representatives as per their choice.

He assured the UN mission that the commission was taking all steps for holding the forthcoming local government elections in a free and transparent manner. He also added that the international observers would be welcomed by the commission to monitor the elections.