Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Monday signed a contract to use Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) data for verification, updating and augmentation of ECP's existing voters' database.
Secretary, ECP, Ishtiak Ahmad, and Chairman NADRA, Ali Arshad Hakeem, signed the contract under which CNIC number would be used as unique identifier for the existing voters' list contained in Computerised Electoral Rolls System and Supplementary List.
The Secretary, ECP, Ishtiak Ahmad Khan, while elaborating the detail of contract said that NADRA will also provide other services including prints of draft electoral rolls based on new census block codes, digitisation of changes made during door to door verification process, Printing of agreed numbers of sets (copies) of preliminary electoral rolls, Incorporation of changes made during display process and printing of agreed number of copies of final electoral rolls, its binding and distribution.
Ishtiak Ahmed Khan, further said that preparation of accurate computerised Electoral Rolls has been a constant demand of all the political parties, civil society, media and the entire nation as it constitutes the corner stone of any credible, free and fair elections. He said that it is imperative and need of the day to devise a foolproof system to eliminate any possibility of bogus entries in the Electoral Rolls.
Thus, under the direction of Chief Election Commissioner, the Election Commission of Pakistan has been making efforts in this regard for the past one year in collaboration with NADRA to prepare fresh, accurate computerised Electoral Rolls on the basis of database of NADRA pertaining to issuance of Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) to all citizens of Pakistan, above the age of 18 years.
The Secretary also drew attention to the recently legislated law by the Parliament under which now the CNIC is mandatory condition for registration as well as casting of vote. He said that door to door verification of over 80 Million electors having CNIC will start from July 18 and will continue till August 16, 2011.
On behalf of the ECP, the Secretary appealed to all adult citizens of Pakistan to obtain their CNIC from NADRA in order to be able to get registered as a voter as well as to cast their votes. In a democracy, each vote is important as the will of the people is expressed through the ballot.
Besides Secretary ECP, Muhammad Afzal Khan, Joint Secretary (Budget) ECP, Imtiaz Alam, Joint Secretary (Admn) ECP, Syed Sher Afgan, Joint Secretary (Elections), ECP, Ghias-ud-Din Balban, Joint Secretary (TRE), Qazi Khurshid Ahmed, Deputy Secretary (Budget) ECP, Tariq Malik, Deputy Chairman, NADRA and Gohar Ahmed Khan, Chief Project Officer, NADRA were also present on the occasion.
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