SKARDU, Aug 24: Speakers at a seminar held here on Friday stressed the need for an impartial interim set up in Gilgit-Baltistan in the light of the 20th amendment to ensure that next elections are free, fare and transparent.

The seminar titled “free, fare and transparent elections” was organised by Strengthening Democracy through Parliamentary Development (SDPD) in collaboration with the UNDP.

Representatives of all political parties, social organisations and elders of the city attended the seminar.

The speakers said, the chief election commissioner must also be impartial. They suggested that to constitute electoral circles and prepare electoral rolls, impartial officials should be appointed from the judiciary. And it should be ensured that one voter’s name was not enlisted in several circles as was experienced in the last elections.

They further said distribution of BISP funds should be stopped as it was being provided to workers of only one party. Similarly, allocation of funds from the national kitty in the name of development schemes should be stopped as it was a tactic to influence the voters. — Correspondent