21/3/2011, Aaj newspaper

Details: Peshawar: About 125,000 registered voters are going to cast their votes in the by-election today for the provincial assembly constituency PK-69 Tank.

The seat has been lying vacant for the last 10 months as the polls were rescheduled four times much to the dismay of the electorate. Insecurity was cited as the reason for repeatedly delaying the by-polls.  

There are 21 candidates including a woman in the field for the lone provincial assembly seat of the under-developed Tank district, where according to the Election Commission all arrangements for the polling have been completed.  

It is rare for a woman to contest election from the conservative Tank district or other southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The female candidate, Rahat Afghan, has no chance of winning.

An official of the provincial Election Commission said that 96 polling stations had been set up for the 125,000 registered voters including 50,000 women.

The seat fell vacant after the disqualification of the lawmaker Gulistan Bhitani for holding a fake educational degree. He had been elected on Jamiat Ulema Islam-F ticket in the 2008 general elections. The Election Commission had initially fixed July 12, 2010 for the by-election on PF-69 Tank, but it was postponed due to the adverse law and order situation in the district bordering the militancy-hit South Waziristan Agency and the semi-tribal area of Frontier Region Tank.  

The election was then scheduled for September 22 but it was postponed due to last year’s devastating floods and torrential rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Then the JUI-F candidate Gulistan Bhitani passed away after protracted illness and the by-election was delayed again.  

The Election Commission again postponed the by-election for PK-69 constituency citing security concerns. The delay caused anger and unrest among the candidates as well as the electorate. Some of the candidates held a press conference and questioned the grounds for delaying the by-polls. An independent candidate Habibullah Khan Kundi had challenged the decision in the apex court, blaming the PPP government for delaying the by-election to favour its party candidate.  

The Pakistan People’s Party has fielded Dawar Khan Kundi, son of former provincial minister Amanullah Kundi and cousin of deputy speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi. He had lost to the JUI-F candidate in the 2008 general election.

The JUI-F has awarded ticket to Ghulam Qadir Bhitani for the by-election. The JUI-F and PPP contestants and independent Habibullah Kundi are the main candidates in the contest.

The PPP nominee Dawar Kundi would also be the candidate of the ANP in line with the seat-adjustment agreement between the two coalition partners. The PPP had withdrawn its candidate, Dr Afsarul Mulk, in support of the ANP man in the provincial assembly by-election for a seat in Shangla district a few months ago and it was decided that the ANP would back the PPP candidate in the Tank by-polls.

21/3/2011, Aaj newspaper

Details: Alamgir Afridi: By-elections were held on 21 st March in PK-69 district Tank after the death of member provincial assembly Gulistan Bhitani of Jamiat Ulema Islam-F. Initially 36 candidates filed their nominations from which few withdrew while others’ applications were rejected bringing the strength to 21 and a majority of them contested as independent candidates.

Gulistan Bhitani won the slot after beating Habibullah Kundi in the local elections in 2008. Testimonials of Gulistan were challenged by Habibullah in the process of scrutiny prior to the elections but case was decided in Gulistan’s favor due to lack of evidence. Still Habibullah challenged the same in the election tribunal from which he again failed and take the decision in his favor.

However, Supreme Court decided in Habibullah’s favor. The court not only suspended the membership of Gulistan but also declared Habibullah, who had remained a runner up in the then elections, as successful. Later on, the court itself suspended the success of Habibullah and ordered re-elections in the constituency.

The by-elections which were scheduled to be held in previous September but due to the sudden death of Gulistan and law and order situation over there were postponed. Surprisingly Habibullah joined ruling Awami National Party which was neither perceived as a popular political force nor it succumbed a huge victory like other constituencies of the Southern districts, few political families had maneuvered the political profile of Tank constituent of Kundi, Bhitani and Maulana brothers.

Resultantly, if any political party intends to contest from here, it has to rely on any one of the above mentioned family. In this context, the political battles in the past have evolved around the Maulana brothers and the Kundi family.

Unlike the past, an interesting fact is that Jamaat-e-Islami has for the first time in the constituency come forward in support of Sajjad Ahmed Marwat, the former nazim as its candidate.

Another interesting feature of this election is the name of Ms Rahat Afshan as an independent candidate in this constituency for the first time. Qadir Bhitani who is the brother of deceased Gulistan Bhitani has come forward through the platform of JUI-F, while Dawar Kundi representing Pakistan People’s Party are in competition.

Reciprocating the support rendered by PPP in Shangla to ANP candidate, now the latter is supporting the former’s candidate thus continuing the agreement made between the two major parties since the formation of the government. In lieu of the agreement the only option now left for Habibullah Kundi to contest as an independent candidate as ANP has earlier refused to issue him a ticket against PPP candidate.

Thus political analysts now opine that contesting as an independent candidate of Habibullah had made his victory ambiguous. What so ever the result of the political battle is, the by-elections would yield an interesting contest.

22/3/2011, Mashriq newspaper

Details: Tank: At least 12 persons were injured in a scuffle that took place during polling for the by-election in PK-69 constituency on Saturday, police said.

The Mulazai police said a brawl erupted between the supporters of independent candidate and former provincial minister Habibullah Kundi and Jamiat Ulema Islam-F’s Qadir Bhitani. Sources said both the groups freely used bricks and stones besides firing shots into the air.  

The incident left 10 people injured including Ghulam Khan, Shabbir, Fayyaz, Bashir Ahmad, Khalil Ahmad, Ali Muhammad, Gulbat Khan, Khaliq Noor and Yousaf Khan. The sources said the situation was brought under control by the police before it could take an uglier turn.

Separately, two people including former Nazim Tariq Burki and a passerby Naveed were injured in a clash between the supporters of JUI-F’s Qadir Bhitani and Wali Jan Bhitani, an independent candidate. The injured were shifted to a local hospital.

20/3/2011, Express newspaper

Details: Islamabad: A petition had been filed by Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, the PML-Q parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly. The chief election commissioner (CEC) summoned nine members of the Unification Bloc to hear their stance on the alleged change in political affiliation, deemed illegal under the 14th amendment to the constitution.

The PML-Q won a total of 81 seats in the Punjab Assembly during the 2008 election. However, soon afterwards, a group of 41 MPAs broke away from the party’s leadership to create the “Unification Bloc” which aimed to support the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the ruling party in the province. The bloc’s name is a reference to the fact that the PML-Q originally consisted mainly of people who broke away from the PML-N.

The importance of this bloc rose in Punjab politics after the PML-N kicked out the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from the cabinet and the ruling coalition in the assembly. In doing so, the party would be short of a majority in the assembly were it not for the support of the unification bloc.

Zaheeruddin had earlier moved a reference against nine members of the Unification Bloc to the speaker of the Punjab Assembly to send his plea to the ECP. However, Speaker Rana Iqbal, who belongs to the PML-N, ignored his application. Zaheeruddin then moved the ECP directly and sought the disqualification of these members on charges of shifting political loyalties after an election.

The CEC summoned both parties on Saturday and heard their points of view. Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza has directed the lawyers of the unification bloc to submit their response by March 26. The next hearing will be on April 2.

22/3/2011, Nawa-i-Waqt newspaper

Details: Tank: March 22: (INP): Jamiat Ulema Islam-F candidate Qadir Bhitani won the PK-69 Tank city by-election with a big margin.

According to unofficial results of the by-election, held on Monday, the JUI-F candidate got 17,467 votes whereas his most close competitor was an independent candidate, Habibullah Kundi, who secured 13,816 votes.

The Pakistan People’s Party candidate Dawar Khan stood third with 13,537 votes. 

The polling of votes began at 8 am and continued till 5 pm on Monday. Special security measures were taken at all the polling stations during the by-election.

After the death of JUI-F candidate, who was elected from the same constituency on 2008 general election, the government scheduled by-poll for three times but were delayed due to security fears. 

Despite strict security measures adopted by the district administration in the Tank city, the most adjacent bazaar to the South Waziristan Agency, 12 persons were injured during clashes at the polling stations. 

18/3/2011, Khabrain newspaper

The Lahore high court Multan Bench has adjourned the writ for cancellation of double voter lists till March 21 2011.

19/3/2011, Khabrain newspaper

Details: Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad: I have thoroughly studied the electoral matters of almost 110 countries including the United States, Britain and India, and have particularly read reports of the NGOs working across the world with regard to the electoral process e.g. NDI, UNDP, IFES, IDEA and others.

I want to explain an important word here that laws are always framed according to the culture and mindset of nations. Nations are never made for laws. This is the reason that law of every country is unique from another country, which is certainly in accordance with that nation and mindset of people.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, I shall desire to talk about only the existing laws with regard to the Election Commission of Pakistan and independence and role of this institution.

Under the constitution, the Election Commission of Pakistan is a completely free and independent institution. The guarantee of the Election Commission being an independent institution has been given in the constitution of Pakistan. The first electoral system was devised under the first constitution of Pakistan, i.e., the completely democratic constitution of 1973. This constitution of Pakistan was framed in accordance with the spirit of democracy. The amendments later made during the martial law regimes harmed the basic spirit of this constitution. After the controversial National Assembly of 1977, the clause of referendum was included in the electoral laws. Besides it, many amendments were made that were personal specification.

The Election Commission held referendum for the first time in 1984, following which elections were held in 1985 on non-party basis, which were in principle transparent and impartial elections. The political parties have been expressing their reservations over the general elections afterwards, i.e., general elections of 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997 and 2002. The 2008 elections were, however, in accordance with the international standard. After these elections, the bitter experiences of the past were benefited from. In light of the experiences, the Election Commission has recommended to the government 40 amendments to the electoral laws after meeting the needs of the present time as well as consultation with and advice of the national and international observers, including those from the European Union.

As far as the issues related to the election rigging are concerned, I shall make few proposals to avoid election rigging and election ‘jackals’. If I exercise impartially in light of all my experiences and observations, I have no hesitation in saying that there is a need for further improvement in the electoral process and laws.

• A column should be added in the end of the names of candidates on the ballot paper, wherein “disliked” should be mentioned. It would mean that the voter does not want to vote for any of the candidates mentioned on the ballot paper. Its benefit will be that the people, who do not go to the polling stations because of the absence of a candidate of their liking, not only they will go to the polling station after addition of this column but the turnout will also increase and the political parties will also be compelled to grant to ticket to the right, honest and reputable people.
  
• The code of conduct should be made part of the Representation of People Act 1979 and a candidate who violates it should be dropped from the election and the head of the concerned political party should be alerted by showing him/her a red card.
  
• With regard to the election expenses of candidates, such an amendment should be made that the candidates make all payments of election expenses through bank draft.
  
• A candidate should be granted right to contest election only from that constituency where his/her vote is registered, a system that has been adopted by India.
  
• The procedure for holding election of the president in accordance with the relevant article of the real constitution of 1973 should be reviewed and rules for the presidential election also need a review. Under Schedule II of the constitution, according to the Presidential Election Rules of 1988 the eligibility criteria for the president are the same that has been fixed for candidate for membership of the National Assembly. But on a petition of Qazi Hussain Ahmed of 2004 wherein the federation was a respondent, the Supreme Court removed the condition of ineligibility for the president and stated that Article 63 of the constitution does not apply to candidate for presidential election. Under this decision, the Election Commission of Pakistan amended the rules for the presidential election. Therefore, this clause needs to be restored in its original shape and the Supreme Court of Pakistan should revisit its mentioned decision.
  
• Clause (1) of the Article 36 of the Representation of People Act of 1976 under which it should be made binding on a returning officer to prepare consolidated result after recounting of votes instead of preparing it on the basis of the Consolidated Result Form 14. With this amendment, not only the electoral process will become further transparent but if the consolidated result is prepared on the basis of recounting of votes, it will also end all electoral disputes, which are submitted to the election tribunals or the Election Commission after the consolidated result. If the electoral process of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand is examined, in all these countries a returning officer announces consolidated result after recounting of all votes instead of doing so on the basis of the form provided by presiding officers.
  
• A ban should be imposed on participation in election or getting any public office by those who got loans written off and the Representation of People Act of 1976 should be amended that the vote of a person who becomes bankrupt should be cancelled and they should be barred from participating in an election. Those holding dual nationalities should also be barred from participating in election.
  
• The mechanism of election of minority representatives should be changed and the constitutional method of 1973 should readopted, i.e., direct election. For the purpose, a national formula should be framed after taking the leadership of minorities in Pakistan into confidence. By reviewing the procedure for election of women on reserved seats, they should be brought in the national mainstream and their names should be included in ballot papers.
  
• If Pakistan’s recent elections are examined, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) got 10.6 million votes. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) secured 6.8 million votes and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) obtained 8 million votes. Besides, our legislators from the urban constituencies in the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Sindh reach the parliament after obtaining around 22 per cent votes in their constituencies. Keeping in view this situation, it is proposed that by amending the constitution, the legislators should be allowed to reach the assemblies after securing 51 per cent votes so that they are public representatives in the real sense and play their role for strengthening and stabilising the parliament in a democratic manner.

17/3/2011, Awami Awaz newspaper

Details (Nadeem Ali Khwaja): Whenever a political party expresses annoyance with the policies of the government, it demands fresh elections or mid-term elections in the country. The opposition political parties always keep themselves in efforts to negate the policies of the government, so the people press their wish to hold new elections.

The current political scenario is also heading towards new elections in the country as the second largest party, the PML-N, is gearing up its demand for mid-term elections.

However, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who belongs to ruling PPP, while rejecting any possibility of mid-term elections argues that when the provincial government has no capability to hold local elections, how can mid-term general elections take place? Basically the prime minister has questioned the capability of provincial governments, which have been delaying the local elections, so how they will agree to make preparations for mega activities of new elections?

Most of the political analysts do not see the mid-term elections this year, attributing the worsening law and order situation, especially the occurrence of suicide bombings against politicians in the country.

Though former military ruler Pervaiz Musharraf’s local government system comprising of nazims as leaders at districts, tehsil and union council level, to solve the problems of peoples at their doorstep, has been dissolved by the provincial governments with a promise to bring amendments or scrapping it totally. The nazims were authorised with administrative as well as financial powers, without any check and balance and their accountability before provincial government.

The bureaucracy was also not happy for making the nazims so powerful, who made them subordinate before this third-tier government system, but bureaucrats remained silent due to Musharraf’s authoritarian rule. Even the members of national and provincial assemblies had nothing any say in addressing peoples’ problems against powers authorised to union council nazims. The nazims were made decision makers for development schemes in their area, besides affairs of transfer and posting of senior bureaucracy also handed over to nazims.

Keeping such facts in mind, the parliamentary parties and bureaucracy have joined hands against existing local governments system; and wants a new system which be held accountable before the provincial government.

Introducing the new system, Musharraf had floated his idea of restricting parliamentarians’ job to only legislation while the responsibility of development works assigned to nazims in the Local Government Ordinance. Meeting the demand of the government of the day, before local government election in 2005, Musharraf had reduced the powers of nazims to some extent.

However, President Asif Zardari without interfering to keep the system in federal government allowed devolution of the local government system to the provinces in December 2009.

The local government system has been purely provincial subject, but the provinces are not ready to go for elections. The provincial governments have also adopted legislation to put-off local government elections till indefinite period due to a number of reasons.

Keeping in view of the ground situation, the statement of the prime minister regarding provinces’ inability to hold local government elections has been proved correct, which also contradicts the demand for mid-term elections.

It is a test case for the provincial government to go for local government elections, but this promise yet to be met. It has been a precedent of holding local government elections on non-party basis that encouraged tribalism and caste system in the country. The local government elections have significance as new leadership emerges through this third-tier of government, which later joins the national politics.

However, the ruling PPP in Sindh, with the consultation of allies, has made new law to hold local government elections on party-basis, but holding of elections’ possibility is grim because coalition parties in government have different views on nature of local government system.

The delay in local government elections is affecting the easy access of the peoples to their representatives at the local level. We may not be satisfied with the nazims’ working but development work, including sanitation and construction of streets, are visible.

The local governments have been dissolved two years ago, but provincial governments have not been able to hold elections, indicating circumstances do not favour such mega event in the country.

It is unfortunate that people demanding mid-term elections, their own parties’ provincial governments are opposing local government elections as they do not have capability to hold elections in their provinces. Even President Asif Zardari had reiterated a pledge for local government elections this year, but has opposed mid-term elections.

Though the president also counted the benefits of local government system and had pointed out that people want local elections, which would help in solving their problems at local level but the people are yet to see the implementation on announcement of local elections by the president and the provincial governments.

22/3/2011, Kawish newspaper

Details: Jafarabad: (Reporter): A total of 17 candidates have submitted their nomination forms to take part in by-election on provincial constituency of Balochistan (PB-26) Jafarabad, which is to be held next month on April 25.

The provincial seat had been declared vacant after disqualification of member under fake educational degree case.

The candidates from different political parties as well as independents have submitted their nominations papers in the office of Assistant Election Commissioner Jafarabad Azizullah Abbasi for provincial seat PB-26-Dera-Allahyar of Jafarabad district in Balochistan.

The Candidates including Mir Liaquat Ali Jamali from PML-N, Mir Asadullah Khoso from PPP-SB, Dr Abdul Khoso and Mir Hassan Sasoli from JUI-F, Nizamuddin Bangalzai of JUI-F (Ideology Group), Maulana Attaullah Khoso from Jamiat Ahle Hadis, Rahib Buledi and Abdul Rasool from National Party, and Niaz Ahmed Umrani from ruling PPP have submitted their nomination papers.

Besides, independent candidates including Naseer Ahmed Khoso, Abdul Ghani Brohi and Mureed Ahmed Bhatti, a female candidate, Bibi Rehmat Bhangar also submitted nomination papers to take part in by-election on PB-26.

17/3/2011, Zamana newspaper

Details: Javed Quraishi: In 2006, the Charter of Democracy was signed by Benazir Bhutto as head of Pakistan People’s Party and Nawaz Sharif as head of Pakistan Muslim League-N in London. By signing the Charter of Democracy, both the parties pledged to continue the policy of reconciliation in the future.

The PPP made a coalition government after the 2008 elections based on the guidelines given in the Charter of Democracy. Yousaf Raza Gilani was unanimously elected as the prime minister of Pakistan. In the beginning, PML-N joined the federal coalition government and PPP was part of Punjab government.

The general public was overjoyed over the mutual understanding and coalition of the two major parties of the country. Everybody wanted this coalition to be durable at the one hand but on the other hand knew that it would not last long. This perception was made because of the past unfriendly relationship between the two parties.

Both the parties were natural rivals. PPP was considered as secular while PML-N as a right wing party because of their history and ideology. In fact PMN-N was an offshoot of IJI [Islami Jamhoori Ittehad] which was made by ISI [Inter Services Intelligence]. Basically Nawaz Sharif belonged to a religious family which is why he was and is inclined towards the right.

IJI was made in order to stop PPP. After hanging Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, General Ziaul Haq was not expecting good from PPP. Therefore, he wanted a political party which could stop and create hurdles for PPP. So, after IJI a feeling of hatred was also injected in PML-N which continues till date.

Shahbaz Sharif’s suggestion that all stakeholders’ conference should be called including army and judiciary was taken as an anti-democracy suggestion. Every party in Pakistan believes in the supremacy of parliament and that army and judiciary should only be consulted instead of being given a stake in the national and political affairs.

The NFC award, the 18 th and 19 th constitutional amendments are the proof that if politicians are sincere that they can solve all the problems of the country. Some circles argue that as the army is busy fighting terrorists and ensuring law and order in the country, it should not be indulge in political issues. Similarly, the judiciary is an important of the state and it should not be engaged in political issues either.

The people sort out ways to get rid of the army whenever it rules the country. It is strange that now a few people are talking about consulting and getting directions by the army at a time when there is democracy in the country.

Before Shahbaz, President Asif Zardari suggested a roundtable conference to address all the national issues. It was believed that all the political parties would gather together and find out ways to solve all the major issues. But Nawaz Sharif rejected the suggestion. But after some time Shahbaz working on the instructions of Nawaz suggested to Prime Minister Gilani a conference which includes the army and the judiciary.

Although the PML-N pledged to play as a real opposition everyone is astonished about its stance on making the army and judiciary stakeholders in the national political issues. People believe that the PML-N is using unfair means just to put PPP down and for this it is even not sparing suggesting for undemocratic means.

17/3/2011, Azadi newspaper

Details: Atta-ur-Rehman: The act of complete parting of ways between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and taking their own course can become the beginning of a new healthy and really public friendly politics in the country.

This work should have started with the enforcement of the first constitution 55 years ago but what to talk of the first constitution, the repeated martial law periods and military interventions did not allow even the second and third constitution to work and suspended them or changed them.

As the unanimous constitution of 1973 has fully been restored after a long struggle and is also in vogue, it is the need of the hour that the political parties pay attention to their real duties and responsibilities. Nothing except the preparation of their respective workable political, economic, social and crisis management programme and present it before public for its approval. Thus, all the focus is concentrated on the public welfare programmes and not on launch movements and making and breaking.

The federal government of the PPP has been functioning for three years. If it has some programme, it is invisible. Thus, the economic condition of the country is touching its lowest ebb. Its coalition partner in the Punjab, which is the largest opposition party in the centre, has unveiled a 10-point alternative programme, which was accepted but it too was not implemented within the settled timeframe. Naturally, the two parties completely separated.

It is a great and historical opportunity for both the PPP and PML-N, which has brought them on a crucial juncture. If the PPP thinks that it can steer the country out of economic crisis, it has power in the centre as well as in three province and available resources are under its control.

This party and its leadership should do the utmost to make the dwindling economy, which is dependent on others, stand on its feet and to give the message of prosperity to the common man. If the ruling party discharges its real duty instead of remaining concerned with the politics of taunts, the victory would be waiting for it in the next elections as well so why this concern.

Similarly, if the PML-N believes that the PPP has failed and can’t come up to the expectations of the people while it has comparatively practical programme, it also has opportunity as well as time. Instead of mere points, it should unveil a plan with all basic details and implementation aspects. It should convince people and campaign on its basis. It should demand midterm elections or should conduct the possible exercise practically through the Punjab government during the remaining period of one-and-a-half or two years. It should win confidence of the people of the rest of three provinces through direct and constant contact. As a result, it would become certain to a great extent to achieve electoral victory across the country, run the government and implement its settled programme. The same is the name of the constitutional and healthy politics, which is needed the most today.

19/3/2011, Jang newspaper

Details: Abid Tahami: Readers and politicians alike are busy in singing a song suggesting theme that democracy is notorious. We tell you as to how political parties get millions of fake votes registered to save the democracy from notoriety and how the Election Commission not only verifies them but these votes are also polled during elections and thus the “mission” of transparent election is accomplished.

According to the report sent to the Election Commission by NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) recently, 44 million out of 81.2 million votes were declared genuine while 33.185 votes could not be verified. During investigation in light of this report, it has emerged that 56 per cent of bogus votes were cast in Sindh in 2008. Of the total 17,855,994 votes of Sindh, 11,055,000 votes were of males while 8,700,589 were of females.

The PPP won 93 seats and MQM got 51 seats of the total 168 seats of the Sindh Assembly while the PPP won 33 and MQM 19 seats of the National Assembly.

In the Punjab, of total 44,661,925 votes, 26,632,329 votes, i.e., 60 per cent could be verified. The remaining 40 per cent bogus votes were cast. In the Punjab Assembly, the PML-N has 171 seats while the rest are of PML-Q and PPP seats while in the National Assembly, 90 per cent seats of the National Assembly from the Punjab are held by the PML-N.

Similarly, out of total 12,084,308 votes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seven million votes have been verified while 65 per cent votes in Balochistan are suspicious because out of total 4,228,996 votes, only 1,450,203 votes have been verified.

In my opinion, the revelation by NADRA is nothing new because all parties that participated in the elections know it and besides all these political parties, the Election Commission is responsible for registration of bogus votes. Although the Election Commission is not independent, it has to abide the orders of the rulers but the responsibility rests with it. We do not go far back and talk about preparation of new computerised electoral rolls from May 2006. Large advertisements were placed in newspapers for registration of votes. More than 135,000-strong staff was used for distribution of forms.

The computerised identity card was declared necessary for registration of vote but when it was noticed that people did not show much interest in the registration votes, the Election Commission, to conceal its ineptness, allowed casting of votes on the old identity cards. Whereas at that time NADRA pointed out that 60 per cent of the old identity cards are either incorrect or fake but the Election Commission ignored it and thus 10,028,808 voters were registered without identity card in 2008 election. As many as 2,140,000 voters had expired computerised identity cards and 2,491,000 voters held old obsolete identity cards. The research has shown that names of 6,470,000 voters were registered in electoral rolls 10 times.

Keeping in view this situation, it can be stated that “Munni” got defamed without any cause, in fact the “democracy is notorious”. If the rulers and politicians now want to remove this stain of the democracy’s notoriety, they should ensure implementation of the following recommendations:

All the people above 18 years of age so far registered by NADRA should be included in electoral rolls.

• Receipt of the identity card should be made mandatory under the law for those who have attained the age of 18 years but so far could not get the computerised identity card.
• After verification by NADRA, the Election Commission should not only display these computerised electoral rolls bearing identity card numbers of voters at the union council level but rolls of every constituency should also publish in newspapers separately and legally bind all people to submit objections and corrections within a fortnight since the date of publication.
• According to the law, the registration of vote at one location should be allowed.

If the political parties want to hold really transparent elections in the country, they should cooperate in preparation of transparent electoral rolls otherwise the “democracy notorious” would echo in every house instead of “Munni notorious”. And until the elections are not held on the basis of transparent electoral rolls, neither can the real representation come to fore nor can the country be steered out of the crisis!