PESHAWAR: Leaders of different political parties have urged the government to focus on electoral reforms for ensuring holding of next general elections under the biometric system to curb poll rigging. They have also asked for voters’ education and bringing an end to the pressure of influential families in elections.

Speaking at a joint press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Dr Iqbal Khalil, Jamiat Ahle Hadith provincial chief Maqsood Ahmed Salfi, Pakistan Women Muslim League central president Rubeena Shaheen and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami leader Maulana Abdur Rauf asked the government to establish an independent election commission to overcome the menace of poll rigging.

Referring to a meeting of some 30 political parties’ representatives held on Tuesday under the aegis of Free and Fair Election Network, Mr Salfi said that the government should fully empower the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and ensure its independence so that the influential people could have no manipulative role in elections. He said that credible people from different walks of life should also be given chance to become ECP members to avoid complaints.

Parties call for holding next general polls under biometric system

He said that the government should pay full attention to the complaints about rigging and remove candidates’ reservations about any constituency. He asked the government to redress the grievances of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf about the rigging in four constituencies so that it would end the sit-ins in the best interests of the country.

He said that every parliamentary party should be given representation in the caretaker government and the preparation of voters lists be expedited before every elections. The political parties, he said, had also demanded that the ECP should get complete information about the candidates regarding their financial position and election expenditures.

Mr Salfi said that any elected member providing wrong information to ECP should be disqualified. He said that the political parties also demanded that the ECP should ensure giving the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis and all the registered women.

“In case of female votes below 50 per cent in any constituency the ECP should announce re-election on the relevant seat so that the women could get vote right,” he said.

Rubeena Shaheen stressed the need for elections under biometric system to ensure transparency and impartiality.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2014