Electoral fund is mandatory for free, fair and transparent general elections in Pakistan. (Sajid Imtiaz)

1. Pakistan
Electoral
Fund
Free and free general election
for responsible democracy is a
lofty dream in Pakistan.
Besides political parties and
election commission of
Pakistan, Free and Fair Election
Network (FAFEN) consists of
forty two non government
organizations has been
advocating and striving for
transparent elections in
Pakistan. However, voters’
education and literacy are very
low in some provinces
including Azad Kashmir.
Local government elections in 2014
throughout Pakistan are new hard test
for the partners of FAFEN and election
commission. Still there are more than
one hundred thousand Pakistanis
without computerized national identity
card, a basic requirement for vote
casting. Election commission of
Pakistan needs more funds to perform
its key responsibilities including up-to-
date electoral rolls.
Seminars and meetings with
stakeholders show that trust of voters
is diminishing on key players as they do
not find positive change on the ground.
Technology has become part of
everyday life yet no one can cast his or
her vote online. Remember that
women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
FATA are reluctant to go to the polling
stations for vote casting.
There must be close coordination
among election commission of
Pakistan, international donors and
FAFEN. For Rs.30 billion Pakistan
Electoral Fund, The Asia Foundation,
DFID and other donors particularly The
World Bank must work closer with
election commission of Pakistan for
candidates’ verification, voters’ CNICs
and transparent elections because
election commission has infrastructure
countrywide along with enriched
experience.
Sajid Imtiaz: Bureau Chief Islamabad, Daily Porihyo