September 09, 2007	Sunday	Sha'aban 26, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has urged that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that additional names in the voters’ list of 2002 should be added to the preliminary voters’ list only after verification and weeding of duplicate and ineligible voters. In a statement here on Saturday, PPP Coordinator on Information Technology Tariq Malik said the Supreme Court had already directed that the preliminary lists be reconciled with the old 2002 voters’ list. He said the additional names on the 2002 list should only be added to the latest preliminary list after verification so that duplicate and ghost votes did not creep into the lists.

He also urged the ECP to give electronic copy of the database to political parties so that they could verify by random sampling and testing that the electoral rolls were free of manipulation. He said that political parties must be taken into confidence to allay fears of pre-poll computer rigging.

CWP: A non-government organisation has also expressed concern over the reports that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was updating the draft computerised rolls 2007 by including unverified entries from the 2002 voters’ lists, which had been widely criticised in the past for bogus and double entries.

The 2002 lists were no longer relevant, as these included a large number of people, who had either moved or died and urged the ECP to take immediate steps to address such concerns and announce how it would ensure that entries from the 2002 lists would not undermine the credibility of new rolls.

It was stressed that the entire process must be completely transparent and effective against potential risks.

The Consumer Watch of Pakistan (CWP) said while it appreciated the Supreme Court order for updating the electoral rolls, it was meant to ensure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised as a result of omissions from the electoral rolls, and stressed that it was the responsibility of the ECP to guard against bogus or double entries.

“However, it seems that the ECP plan is flawed both in its design and implementation; as it does not include adequate checks against potential problems.”

The CWP urged the ECP to explain the voters’ registration procedure that was currently being employed, especially the verification process.

The CWP said the ECP needs to realize that poorly paid staff, as it has been the case in the past registration efforts, may not deliver the requisite quality work.

Generally, school teachers are involved in the registration process, but they do not take much interest in view of low compensation and additional workload.