RAWALPINDI: The undefined territorial limits of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, especially Bahria Town and Defence Housing Authority (DHA), forced the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to seek help from the district administration so the residents can use their right to vote in the respective constituencies.

To discuss the issue, a meeting of the district administration and the ECP officials was held with Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Talat Mehmood Gondal in the chair on Friday.

The meeting was informed that the residents of Bahria Town and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) were shown as residents of Islamabad in their computerised national identity cards (CNICs) but their names were included in the voters’ lists of Rawalpindi.

Bahria Town, DHA residents have Islamabad listed on CNICs as address while they are added in Rawalpindi voters’ lists

The ECP officials said it was confusing how residents with CNICs of Islamabad can cast their votes in a constituency of Rawalpindi.

They informed the district administration that it would create problems for the residents and the ECP.

They requested the district administration to define the limits of Bahria Town and DHA so the ECP would be able to complete the voters’ lists before the general elections.

The deputy commissioner directed the revenue department to verify the limits of Bahria Town Phase 1-8 and DHA.

The revenue department justified the view of the ECP saying the DHA Phase 1 was in the limits of Rawalpindi and DHA Phase-II in Islamabad while Bahria Town Phase 7 and 8 fell in the limits of Rawalpindi.

However, some parts of Bahria Town from Phase 1 to 6 also fell in the limits of Rawalpindi.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that the revenue limit between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was not defined yet which also created problems during anti-polio campaigns and tax collection.

He said due to the issues in the revenue limits, citizens living along I.J. Principal Road and Islamabad Expressway did not pay taxes either to the Punjab government or the Islamabad territory administration.

He said in the past Rawalpindi and Islamabad administrations had planned to start joint demarcations of the revenue limits but could not carry it out due differences over some areas.

He said the Rawalpindi Cantonment and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) also failed to define the limits of areas around Golra Mor.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner directed the district administration to spread awareness about the voters’ list preparation and display centres.

He said the ECP was completing the process of voter registration in collaboration with Nadra so that all citizens, including minorities, transgender people, persons with disabilities and women may exercise their right to vote.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (general) Sara Hayat added that lists of 13,000 government officials, who would perform duties in the elections, had been prepared.

A total of 6,000 presiding officers/assistant presiding officers and 23,000 polling officers will be finalised soon.

She directed the District Health Authority and the District Education Authority to complete the remaining lists as early as possible.

The DC took notice of the absence of education and health department officials from their offices and asked the heads of colleges to remain in their offices so that they would be trained for general elections.

The heads of colleges would then train the 6,000 presiding officers/assistant presiding officers and 23,000 polling officers and other staff.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2018