LAHORE, April 30: Indian Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) T.S. Karishna Murthy visited the office of the provincial election commissioner here on Saturday.

Pakistan Acting CEC Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) member Justice Naseem Sikandar and Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad accompanied the visiting dignitary. He was briefed about the local government elections system. Mr Dogar told his counterpart that the forthcoming local government elections would start in July and would be completed by August, 2005.

He said the bilateral visit would help foster goodwill and provide an opportunity to share each other’s experiences and expertise in the field of electoral management through informal interaction. The ECP secretary said: “We have studied various systems of elections currently prevalent in different countries and are of the view that all these systems have a same target that is to deliver fair, transparent and credible polls.”

T.S.Krishna Murthy was apprised of the working of the ECP.

Provincial Election Commissioner Rahim Nawaz Khan Durrani and senior officers were also introduced to the dignitary.

Meanwhile, Mr Murthy visited Lahore Museum, took keen interest in the artifacts displayed at various galleries and said Lahore was rich in culture. He also paid a visit to the shrine of Data Gunj Bakhsh.

The Indian CEC appreciated the hospitality shown to him by the Pakistan government and the people of Lahore.

He was accompanied by Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Kanwar Dilshad Ahmad and members of the commission.

Mr Murthy is on a four-day visit to Pakistan. —APP