Observers free to visit polling stations: Dilshad
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—Secretary Election Commission Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad has sid that observers are free to visit polling stations and offices of the returning officers to monitor polling process.He said that this during a meeting with a two members’ delegation comprising Glenn Cowan from Democracy International and Gregory Minjack from Capital Links from Washington here on Sunday.
They discussed the matters relating to the international Observers and their security. Kanwar Dilshahd informed the delegation about the measures taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Ministry of Interior regarding their security.
He, however, advised that the foreign observers should intimate about their programme of visiting the polling stations and districts concerned so that the Ministry of Interior and provincial governments may ensure their security.
The Secretary Election Commission further informed the members of the delegation that the Presiding Officers, under the law, at the close of the poll, are required to provide the copies of the Statement of Count and the Ballot Paper Account to all the Polling Agents or the candidates present at the Polling Stations as well as to the national and international observers. The observers are allowed to observe the Process of polling/counting of the votes at the polling stations as well as the process of compilation of result by the Returning Officers concerned.The Election Commission of Pakistan has launched a campaign with the slogan “ Your Vote-Your Future” to create awareness among the masses on how to cast vote.The voters have been requested to reach the polling stations on time with the old or new National Identity Card (NIC), stand in queue on polling booths and wait for their turn.
The polling officer would check the ID card, match the name and mark the thumb of the voter and cross the voter’s name from the electoral list. First, the presiding officer will hand over the green color ballot paper of national assembly poll to the voter and will take the thumb impression on counter-foil.
An assistant presiding officer will also get the thumb impression on the counter-foil and voter would receive the provincial assembly white ballot paper. Another assistant presiding officer will guide the voter that how to stamp the ballot papers for the identifying the mark.
Voters will go to the specified place and stamp the symbol of his or her choice. The voter would fold the both ballots separately and insert the national assembly ballot in a green-lid ballot box while the provincial vote would be inserted in the white-lid ballot box. After casting the vote, voter would leave the polling station.