ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: Speakers at a seminar on Friday regretted the decision to abolish condition of computerised national identity card for voters and observed that it would open the floodgates of bogus voters’ registration.

They were speaking at a seminar on “challenges of free and fair elections” organised by the Citizens Group on Electoral Process (CGEP) here. They observed that there was no other valid methodology to determine the identity of eligible voters.

The speakers included Justice (Retd) Wajihuddin, Ghazi Salahuddin, General (retd) Moinuddin Haider, Justice Nasira Iqbal, Sheikh Mansur Ahmad of PPP’s Election Monitoring Cell and Ahmad Bilal Mehboob.

The CGEP is a Group of eminent Pakistanis belonging to the legal profession, media and research institutions, has been working since December 2006 under the auspices of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (Pildat).

The speakers were of the view that the database of National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) should be used to compile an error-free voters’ list. They said Nadra should issue free of cost computerised national identity cards under a crash programme.

The speakers observed that a close coordination between Nadra and the ECP was essential for accurate and reliable electoral rolls. They urged the ECP to exercise its constitutional authority to secure the necessary data from Nadra or take other appropriate steps to ensure the verification of CNICs numbers in the fresh electoral rolls.

“If there was anything contained in laws obstructing this, the ECP, being a constitutionally empowered body, should direct the government to bring about the necessary legislative changes,” they stressed.

There were reports that Nadra had refused to share its data with the ECP on the basis of data security considerations. They said the Election Commission of Pakistan should display and exercise the same independence as was being enjoyed by the judiciary.

The participants of the meeting were unanimous on the point that General Pervez Musharraf was not constitutionally and legally eligible to be a candidate for the office of the President for another term.

They also urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the use of official resources by General Musharraf for his election campaign and stressed that there should be a level playing field for all aspiring candidates for the coveted office.

The participants stressed that the representatives of the local governments should be suspended before the general elections to obviate the possibility of their powers being misused in the polls.

They said the President should neither address a public rally, nor should release funds or support a specific political party by any gesture.