Arrangements finalized for Local Government Polls, says Official
ISLAMABAD, 18th June, 2005: Federal Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad said Friday that arrangements have been completed to conduct forthcoming local government elections. He was briefing a high-level delegation, headed by Peter Wilson, political counsellor at the British High Commission. The members of the delegation included Christopher Payot, deputy head of mission at the of Belgium, Vicente Fose Mas Taladriz, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Spain, Heleen van der Beek, first secretary (political) at the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Hideki Ishizuka, counsellor-director of the Political Department at Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, and Christoph Sander, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Islamabad.
The delegation discussed the arrangements made by the Election Commission of Pakistan for the Local Government Elections 2005 in the country. The delegation was informed that all necessary arrangements for the conduct of these elections including appointment of district returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers and procurement of necessary election material have been completed and that the Election Commission of Pakistan has set the stage to conduct the elections smoothly.
The secretary explained to the delegation, that the election schedule shall be announced by the chief election commissioner soon after the budget sessions of the assemblies. He told them that the local government elections shall be held in three phases. In the first two phases, direct elections to union councils, while in the third phase, indirect elections to zila, tehsil and town councils will be held.
The Secretary told the delegation that the chief election commissioner had already that international observers would be welcomed during the elections and that a detailed briefing would be arranged in this respect.-APP