November 22, 2006	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: Representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) on Tuesday said there was a need to restore people’s confidence in the electoral process which would help ensure free and fair elections in the country next year.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of Free And Fair Election Network (Fafen) here, the CSOs representatives said a lot of efforts were needed from all the stakeholders, including the Election Commission of Pakistan, political parties and the civil society to ensure free and fair polls.

The organisers had invited information secretaries of all the major political parties to the launching ceremony, but only Ahsan Iqbal of PML-N turned up.

The newly-elected secretary-general of Fafen, Sarwar Bari, gave a briefing on the objectives and working of the network. He said it was for the first time that local civil society organizations from across the country had come together to monitor all aspects of the electoral processes and work for free and fair elections.

Mr Bari said Fafen had already started functioning and its first role was to assess the ongoing process of voters’ registration in the country. He was of the view that media and civil society were not fully aware of the rigging phenomenon and the focus only remained on the polling day rigging.

He said in many districts, it was difficult to even field a candidate against powerful and influential personalities.

He said the people of Pakistan had never witnessed an independent and fair election in the country. He was of the view that the 1970 elections, which were considered the only free and fair polls in the country, were also flawed. He said though polling was fair, but the whole election process was flawed.

Mr Bari, who is also the coordinator for Pattan Development Organisation, said monitoring work of FAFEN would not only be focused on the actual conduct of elections but also on various stages and processes before and after the elections.

He said in order to seek feedback for ensuring free and fair elections, the network would soon hold consultations with political parties and the elections authorities to evolve its monitoring strategy.

He said they would adopt a holistic and proactive approach while monitoring the activities of government, election authorities, media and political parties. Furthermore, he said, the network would undertake appropriate advocacy initiatives to persuade the election authorities, the government and political parties for electoral and democratic reforms.

Mr Bari said Fafen consisted of a general body and an elected executive council of seven members, one each from four province, two general members and a secretary-general.

The executive council members Mukhtar Ahmad Ali (CPDI- Pakistan), Sadiqa Salahuddin (Indus Resource Centre), Nasrullah Khan (CPD), Mukhtar Javed (Sungi), Mohammad Zahid Islam (Sangat) and Mussarat Qadeem (Paiman) were also present on the occasion.