All possible steps being made to complete voters list: ECP

ISLAMABAD: Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Ishtiak Ahmed Khan said on Tuesday that all out efforts are being made to complete final voter lists to hold free, fair and transparent elections.

All available resources are being utilized to prepare final lists but it will take some time to get transparent lists of voters, he said this while talking to Pakistan Television.

He was of the view that all the matters of national interest should be discussed at right forums and through the representatives of the people.

He said that ECP should be given proper time so that an error free voter lists could be prepared for holding transparent elections.

He said that ECP is an important institution of the country and point of view of the election commission must be given due importance.

He said that ECP had taken the initiatives after direction of the Chief Election Commissioner for making error free voter lists. He said, to have better list of the voters, "we must be given time".

He said, "political parties and civil society had supported the ECP stance in this regard." ECP is following the procedure and rules given in the constitution, he said. The ECP had started door-to-door verification of votes for preparing electoral rolls.

The completion of verification was delayed due to floods and other reasons. He, however, said that all the tasks of finalizing the voter lists would be accomplished in the next few months. He was of the view that by-elections should be conducted after completing the final lists.

Deputy Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik said that all available resources are being utilized to bring the people under the umbrella of NADRA and for this concerned staff is making efforts to achieve the target. He highlighted the role and achievements of NADRA after establishing the offices in the country.

He said that NADRA had made unprecedented struggle for improving the system and registering the people living in remote and flung areas of the country. He said that more efforts are being made to further improving the system for benefiting the people. Deputy Chairman said that credit goes to NADRA who successfully reduced the trust deficit of the people.

He said that natural disasters in the recent years had created some troubles. He said that general elections would be conducted in 2013 and there is enough time for providing the error free lists.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2012