NAWABSHAH, June 11: The number of registered voters has been slashed to approximately 409,000 from 645,715 in provisional computerised lists in the district, it was learnt here on Monday.

The lists were prepared by the district election commission office and sent to the provincial election commission for preparation of computerised lists consisting of those voters who were in possession of computerised national identity cards.

Reliable sources in the election commission told Dawn that the number of voters was reduced to approximately 409,000 from a total of 645,715 voters in the provisional computerised voters lists received from the provincial election commission.

The Assistant Election Commissioner Nawabshah, Ali Asghar Siyal, said that he had received computerised lists but was not sure about the figure and was busy in compiling it.

He further said that the lists would be displayed all over the district at about 570 places.

He further said that a total number of 553 information officers were deputed in the centres who were hired from the education department backed by 16 assistant registration officers.

He said that the people would be able to make corrections, entries and file objections from June 13 to July 3, after which the list would be submitted to revising officers i.e. judicial officers.

He said that two judges would look after each taluka of the district and the forms would be disposed off from July 4 to 13. To a question, he said that the lists were sent to provincial election office in October 2006.

Meanwhile, PPP MNA from Nawabshah, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, has criticised the NADRA for failing to meet the target of making computerised NICs.

She said that despite her regular requests, NADRA had failed to provide mobile vans for rural areas.

She said that rural population would not be able to cast their votes and added that she would file a petition against the issue in the High Court of Sindh and demanded that voters, as per old list, be allowed to cast their votes.

MNA Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah also criticised the provisional voters lists and said that it was right of every Pakistani to cast his vote.

He said that NADRA could not achieve the target due to which the number of voters was reduced.

TRUCK HIJACKED: Four armed men hijacked a truck loaded with poultry feed on the National Highway near Qazi Ahmed, on Monday.