August 06, 2006	Sunday	Rajab 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq has taken serious notice of complaints regarding interference in preparation of electoral rolls and directed law enforcement agencies to provide security and necessary assistance to the staff engaged in the process all over the country.

In a communication to the chief secretaries of the four provinces on Friday, the CEC asked them to arrange security cover, where necessary, for registration officers, assistant registration officers, supervisors and enumerators to facilitate the ongoing campaign of voter’s registration and ensure non-interference of political parties or other forces.

Some enumerators had complained of interference by political parties in the voters’ registration process for inclusion of ineligible votes in the rolls.

The CEC had also received complaints from Sindh that a particular political group was allegedly interfering with the work of registration staff. Identical complaints were lodged by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) against their political rivals in Sindh.

Secretary Pakistan Election Commission Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad said that any hindrance in the work of enumeration staff would be dealt with severely, irrespective of social status of the culprits.

He said the law prescribed punishment for those who create hurdles in the process of registration.

At present 86,740 enumerators are distributing forms in a door-to-door drive. The stage of distribution and collection of forms from eligible voters will be completed by September 11, 2006.

The draft of the new electoral rolls will be published on January 20, 2007 and objections from public would be sought. The final lists would be published on May 30, 2007.