ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan would acquire sophisticated information technology revamping the country's electoral management system with Pakistan's first error-free computerized electoral rolls-2011 and USAID would provide $8.5 m for this purpose.
A high level meeting between the ECP & USAID was held here Friday under the chairmanship of Secretary ECP Ishtiak Ahmed Khan. which was attended by USAID Deputy Director Todd Sorenson, office of Democracy and Governance Ms.
Valerie Smith, Deputy Controller, office of Financial Management, Imran Baloch, Financial Analyst and Nazeer Mahar, Programme Consultant participated in the meeting. Muhammad Afzal Khan, Joint Secretary (Budget) and focalperson for donors, Sheikh Jalil Ahmed, Deputy Secretary (Elections, Khizer Aziz, DG(IT) and senior officers of ECP and other concerned.
The Secretary, ECP appreciated the willingness of USAID to help strengthen the electoral system in Pakistan and said that funds under Kerry Lugar aid-package could be utilized in three important areas i.e. voter registration and preparation of computerized electoral rolls-2011, purchase of IT equipments at central, provincial and district levels, and purchase, construction of buildings for ECP field offices.
He said that pre-requisite for holding a free, fair and transparent elections is preparation of credible and error free computerized electoral rolls through the ECP-NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) collaboration and the ECP has already started actual ground work for preparation of error-free computerized electoral rolls. In this regard, the ECP's data has been provided to NADRA for augmentation and NADRA has completed this process.
Now, door to door verification will be started soon after house-listing by the National Census Organization which will be completed in April 2011 and the whole process of preparation of electoral rolls will be completed by 31st December 2011, Secretary, ECP observed.
Todd Sorenson of USAID said that the importance of accurate electoral rolls cannot be overstated and the USAID will be happy to provide assistance for it. He said that strengthening of the IT infrastructure at the provincial headquarters as well as Districts Level will provide a solid foundation for the successful implementation and operationalisation of the Computerized Electoral Rolls System. He assured USAID support for strengthening democratic system.
Ishtiak Ahmed Khan thanked USAID for its assistance and said that ECP will now move summary to the Prime Minister for grant of Rs 2 Billion minus the $8.5 Million. For this purpose, the USAID and ECP would sign MoU soon.
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