Address by Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan Consultative Workshop of Partner NGOs on General Elections and Future Challenges.
Islamabad, the 26th November, 2006.- Mr. Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan delivered a lecture at the consultative workshop of partner NGOs on upcoming General Elections and future challenges. All Provincial Election Commissioners attended the workshop
It is an established fact that elections now-a-days has become the internationally accepted instrument of political change. In 1974, there were only 39 electoral democracies that is, countries where multiparty national elections took place on a regular basis. By 2006, there were at least 120 countries that could be regarded as electoral democracies in one form or another.
Designing an electoral system is an easily identifiable, fundamental step in building a sustainable democracy. When thinking about electoral system design, it is imperative to consider a country’s historical cultural and sociological traditions and characteristics. Systems that work well in one country at one time may not do so in another country or even in the same country at another time. Developing countries that inherited the electoral model or their colonial masters, sometimes without debate, may not have the electoral systems that best serve their needs.
Elections are not an element or the democratic process that can be considered in isolation. The effective functioning of electoral systems is linked to political party systems, constitutional development, the provisions governing legislative bodies, and other institutional framework issues. The success of any system also requires its free acceptance as legitimate by themselves. There is a diverse array of systems in practice around the world and sorting through the advantages and disadvantages of each is no easy task.
Elections are the eyes of the Nation they always go for the eyes because they are the windows of the state of mind. The Officers and the Staff of Election Commission of Pakistan, over the years, have proven to be committed for the promotion of electoral processes in Pakistan. Whenever called upon, we have responded with courage and commitment in most difficult circumstances and meager resources. We have whole heartedly welcomed the responsibility of Elections in the past and I am glad to note by the grace of ALLAH that each time we managed to fulfill our duty in a professional and efficient manner:
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The Election Commission of Pakistan is committed towards free and fair elections in the country.
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The Election commission of Pakistan is committed to Neutrality and
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The Election Commission of Pakistan is committed to impartiality.
CHALLENGES FOR THE FORTHCOMING GENERAL ELECTIONS
The analysis of electoral processes of 134 countries and studied various reports of International observers including the reports of observers designated by Commonwealth office and came to a conclusion that:
Ballot Box is considered as a powerful tool in the democratic system, but to reach the ballot box, the authentic and error free electoral roll is an essential ingredient of electoral system.
Electoral Roll/Electoral Register is of paramount importance and plays a pivotal roll in the electoral process; rather it is prerequisite for free, fair and credible elections.
Voter Registration Process and Elections are co-related and pre-requisite for freedom, fairness and credibility, which tend to flourish Democracy.
Election Commission has tasked itself to a huge challenge of computerization of electoral rolls. We are determined to achieve this landmark with the technical assistance of UNDP and financial help of USAID.
Election Commission of Pakistan has successfully completed the first phase of the compiling of the first ever computerized voters lists across the country.
An IT firm of international repute has been engaged for this purpose. We are ensuring accuracy and transparency to avoid double or bogus entries.
The process of collection of data forms for the new computerized electoral rolls started on July 14 this year. After reaching out to 20 million households across the country in a marathon exercise, the Election Commission of Pakistan successfully completed this on October 16th 2006.
This exercise of national importance was conducted on directives of the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Qazi Muhammad Farooq.
Around 115,000 staffers were assigned the responsibility to distribute and collect the data forms who strenuously performed their duties to the satisfaction of the commission and the voters.
The Chief election commissioner had directed all officers and staff of the Election Commission as well as field staff to ensure transparency.
“This is a remarkable achievement. We have ensured transparency avoiding double entries,”
I am confident that the firm hired for computerization of this data would also ensure preparation of an error free final list of voters that would be used in the next general and the local government elections.
Election Commission with financial and technical assistance of United Nations Development Programme has recently launched another project titled, “Support to National Elections in Pakistan”. Various donors shall be working in partnership with ECP and UNDP aiming at the following key areas:
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Training of polling officials and political party agents
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Voter Education/ Voter Awareness Campaign/ public information system designing
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Introduction of improved systems and procedures for compilation and transmission of election results and resolution of electoral disputes
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Introduction of modern and robust electoral material
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To increase understating of electoral management issues among media, CSOs and other stakeholders.
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