December 14, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 3, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: Representatives of four political parties on Thursday expressed their concern over a lack of transparent, and effective complaint monitoring and resolution system as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) failure to provide them with accurate information.

Speaking at a roundtable organised by the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) here, party representatives raised serious concerns about the lack of transparency in the complaint process and expressed their dissatisfaction over the lack of response from the ECP to election complaints they have filed so far.

Representatives of Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Awami National Party (ANP) participated in the roundtable.

Citing examples like the inappropriate use of state resources, intimidation by local governments and agencies, kidnapping of candidates and the use of police to put up banners of one political party, the party representatives said the ECP had taken no action to redress such blatant violations of their own Code of Conduct, a press release said.

They demanded the ECP to respond to complaints with information about the action it was taking against violations of the Code of Conduct or the electoral laws.

Party representatives who participated in the roundtable included Farzana Malik, Yakut Jamil and Nosheen Saeed (PML), Tariq Malik and Sheikh Mansoor (PPP), Barrister Zafarullah Khan and Nuzhat Amir (PML-N) and Haji Mohammad Adeel (ANP).