Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD:The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) organised a workshop in Islamabad for journalists and civil society organizations to promote electoral transparency, emphasize the role of media,civil society, and strengthen voter’s awareness.Nazar Abbas, Additional Director General MCO, underscored the importance of voter participation, registration, and reaffirmed the Election Commission’s dedication to restoring public trust and ensuring a fair, transparent electoral process.He highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at improving the electoral process, increasing transparency, adopting technology, and fostering social inclusion.The ECP aimed to foster collaboration among the Election Commission, the media, and civil society, he added.According to Nazar Abbas, the complaint management system has resolved 21,395 complaints, while the 8300 SMS service assisted 30 million voters in verification over the past year.From 2018 to 2024, mobile registration vans helped register 14 million women voters, reducing the gender gap from 11.78% in 2018 to 7.4% in 2024, with a gap reduction of 9.9 million in 2024 compared to 12.59 million in 2018.Fifteen political parties have been delisted for non-compliance, while major parties are currently undergoing audits. Nazar Abbas stressed that, under regulations, all political parties are required to conduct intra-party elections every five years.Chaudhry Nadeem Qasim, Additional Director General, (LGE) stated that a nationwide voter awareness campaign is in progress, aimed at promoting the importance of voting in both urban and rural communities. The Commission has also begun outreach initiatives in colleges and universities to engage youth.Furthermore, the ECP is rolling out awareness drives through its official social media channels, with special campaigns focusing on encouraging women’s participation and ensuring the inclusion of transgender individuals in the electoral process.Chaudhry Nadeem Qasim highlighted the evolution of the electoral registration system. He noted that the computerization of electoral rolls began in 2006 and was completed by 2008. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with NADRA in 2011, leading to the development of a computerized system where Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) were made mandatory—eliminating duplicate entries from the rolls.Currently, data entry is being carried out at the local level. Since 2019, successive governments have amended electoral laws six times. Similarly, legislative changes by successive Punjab governments have led the Election Commission to revise constituency delimitations three times.
During the workshop, Director MCO Duriya Aamir emphasized the critical role of media and civil society organizations in strengthening democracy. She highlighted that public awareness and unbiased media coverage are essential for ensuring electoral transparency.The Election Commission is also launching a campaign regarding women’s and transgender’s voting.
