The Human Rights Network Pakistan (HRNP), Punjab Chapter, has called for appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC) for five years term with full administrative and financial powers to ensure holding of fair and free elections in the country.
Speakers at a seminar on 'Fair and Transparent Elections', organised by the HRNP at Mansoora, also demanded life ban on those shifting loyalties in the Senate elections, besides undoing the pre-condition of graduation for candidates to streamline the elections.
Presided over by former justice Sheikh Khizar Hayat, the seminar was addressed by advocates Haflz Abdur Rahman Ansari, Zafar Jamal Baloch, Ziauddin Ansari, Asad Manzur Butt, Taseer Mustafa, and Salman Abid.
Khizar Hayat stressed that the political parties should mobilise the electorate before the polls to ensure their full participation and monitor the elections on scientific lines.
Hafiz Abdur Rahman Ansari said that fair and free elections in the Punjab province were not possible under the present LHC chief justice who according to him has close relations with General Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhary brothers. He also demanded doing away with the pre condition of graduation for candidates, as this had given rise to bogus degree scandals. He also proposed that those involved in the shifting of loyalties in the Senate elections should be permanently debarred from elections.
Salman Abid was of the view that rigging in the elections would continue until the political parties put up strong resistance against this problem. Taseer Mustafa said that the CEC should be appointed on a five-year term with full financial and administrative powers.
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