ECP urged to get input from parties
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—Speakers at a symposium here on Friday urged the election commission to establish an independent commission comprising representatives of all political parties to give recommendations on the essential composites and arrangements for holding free, fair and transparent polls.
Addressing the gathering, Secretary Election Commission Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, the chief guest, said a massive countrywide damage to election material and schemes due to deteriorated law and order situation in Sindh and parts of other provinces made to postpone the January 8 polls.
"We had an assessment of the situation and sought reports from the Chief Secretaries and Provincial Election offices before going for a delay," Dilshad told the participants of a symposium held under the auspices of Centre for Media and Democracy Pakistan (CMD) here at a local hotel. A large number of foreign observers and monitors attended the CMD one-day symposium titled 'Evaluation of Election Postponement for Ensuring Free and Fair Polls'. Besides adopting several resolutions, the gathering observed a one-minute silence to pay homage to the late PPP chairperson.
They were unanimous that an impartial inquiry should be conducted to determine the elements involved in the assassination of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and to establish that the culprits do not escape justice. Dilshad said Chief Secretaries from Sindh and Punjab provinces and the provincial election officers had recommended a delay due to the prevailing law and order situation and damage to election offices and equipment.
He said political parties were also consulted during three-day hectic activity at the Commission and their version was discussed during EC meetings, before deciding about the delay in polls. "Not only the mobility of the material and staff had become impossible, but also the process of printing the ballot papers had stopped due to the agitations," he said. Secretary Election Commission assured free and fair polls on February 18 and brushed aside any claims or accusations regarding rigging in polls.
Dilshad said legislator is a vital organ of the state and free and fair polls are supreme responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan. Speakers at the symposium recommended to the Election Commission to allay the fears of the political parties about rigging and ensure at all levels that polls are free and fair. Ayyub Munir, Chairperson, CMD, appreciated the efforts of the Election Commission for consulting the political parties before deciding the delay in election.
He demanded free and fair polls within the timeframe and engage political parties for recommendations on the essential composites and arrangements for the purpose. He also demanded suspension of local governments a month prior to the polling date, hold All Parties Conference before polls and the government to ensure law and order situation. Former diplomat and writer, Tayyab Siddiqui, said that the delay in polls has been accepted by the political parties as it had been due to the massive damage.
Giving an overview of Pakistan's 60 year history, he regretted that only half of the period there had been democracy in the country and voters turn around in previous elections had been very low. Siddiqui quoted the examples of unrest in Sri Lanka and Iran in specific periods and said, in no case the polls were postponed.
Marvi Sarmad, a prominent human rights activist, urged the Election Commission to ensure transparency and impartiality of the polls.
She demanded of the government to facilitate the foreign observers and monitors. Fearing the rumors of a rigging plan, she said the police, rangers or military personnel should not be deployed at the polling stations to avoid any rigging. She also urged for an independent and sovereign election commission.
Haris Khalique, CEO, SPO, was of the view that after free, fair polls, transfer of power should be made to the elected representatives. He said the postponement of the polls would not affect the election results as the PML-Q would not gain anything from the delay.
Director CMD Saima Waqar said that around 11 districts were badly affected due to the riots erupted soon after the tragic assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, chairperson PPP, while infrastructure in 15 national assembly and 33 provincial assembly constituencies was badly damaged.
She said that the CMD has arranged the symposium to conduct an independent evaluation of the situation revealed above and to register more opinion on the prevailing circumstances in context of holding free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections on February 18.
She opined that CMD urges the people would form unity within their ranks to flash out the terrorist elements and the anti-democratic forces would be wiped out. The foreign observers also interacted with the Secretary ECP Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad in the question-answer session.