2007 electoral rolls: 37.18 million unverified voters removed

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has removed 37.18 million unverified voters from Final Electoral Rolls-2007 (FER-2007) after checking 81.213 million registered voters, ECP stated. Similarly, in place of 37.18 million unverified voters deleted from FER-2007, Nadra has included 36.7 million new registered people in 'Draft Electoral Rolls' (DER)-2011.
In a statement, Ishtiak Ahmed Khan, Secretary, ECP, stated that verification of 80.724 million registered voters 'DER-2011', started by ECP, will help bringing the voters in their right census blocks, besides helping people to get registered with National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).
According to the ECP, out of 37.186 million unverified voters, deleted from the lists, 15.03 were without any identity card numbers; 2.15 million had invalid CNICs; 2.5 million with duplicate CNICs; 6.47 million with manual national identity cards; (MNICs) and 11.06 million with MNICs not registered with Nadra.
Out of 81.214 million total voters registered in FER-2007, 54.36 million were from computerised electoral rolls system (CERS) and 26.87 million were from supplementary list. The ECP stated that door-to-door campaign launched by ECP would help making the electoral rolls more transparent. The collaboration between ECP, Pakistan Census Organisation (PCO) and Nadra to prepare error-free and transparent electoral rolls will ensure elimination of trust deficit between state and citizens.
Giving break-up of the FER-2007 and DER-2011 entries, ECP said total voters in FER-2007 were 81.22 million and after verification Nadra found 44.027 million correct entries and removed 37.186 million voters. The Nadra included 36.7 million computerised national identity cards (CNICs) holders in DER-2011 and now there are 80.724 million registered voters.
The number of voters in Punjab for FER-2007 was 45.148 million; of which, 26.795 million were verified and 18.354 million were unverified and deleted. Nadra included 20.26 million new voters in DER-2011. In Sindh, registered voters in FER-2007 were 19.753 million; of which 9.155 million were verified and 10.6 million were unverified and deleted from the list. Nadra included 8.62 million fresh voters in DER-2011 for Sindh.
The number of registered voters of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa in FER-2007 was 10.81 million; of which 6.13 million were verified by Nadra and remaining 4.67 million were unverified and were deleted from the lists. Nadra included 5.514 million fresh voters in the DER-2011.
Registered voters in FER-2007 in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were 1.28 million; of which 490,456 were verified and 788,655 were unverified and deleted. Nadra included 759,775 voters in DER-2011. Registered voters in FER-2007 in Balochistan were 4.23 million; of which 1.5 million were verified and 2.78 million were unverified and removed.
At present, the number of total voters of Punjab in DER-2011 is 47.06 million, Sindh 17.78 million, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa 11.65 million, FATA 1.26 million and Balochistan 3 million. The ECP has started door-to-door verification of all 80.72 million voters throughout the country and fill a pro forma of voters, which will help making necessary corrections. Some people have two addresses and they will be given chance to choose one, Secretary ECP stated.
The ECP has imparted training to 211,000 verifying officials and supervisors who will conduct verification. The teams have started door-to-door verification and are getting a form filled from a family to update and verify the information. The form will be signed by head of the family.
Ishtiak said that to facilitate the political parties and general public during the door-to-door verification of DER-2011, prepared in collaboration with Nadra, the commission has established complaint cells in Islamabad, all provincial headquarters including all 128 district offices.
According to ECP, about 70 percent verification process in Punjab has been completed, while it is proceeding satisfactorily in other three provinces and FATA. Though there are problems in some districts due to poor law and order situation, and recent floods and dengue fever, the teams have been performing their job satisfactorily. The ECP would assess the progress in all districts and then take appropriate decisions in its meeting to be held on September 29.