Law Minister Farooq H. Naek said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had enrolled as voters 4.3 million Pakistanis living abroad who possessed national identity cards. But they would be able to cast their votes in the constituencies where they had been registered, for which they must come to Pakistan. - File photo
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). - File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan appointed on Friday key electoral officers and made public an updated electoral roll containing 85.42 million entries.

According to the commission, 126 district returning officers (DROs), 425 returning officers (ROs) and 708 assistant returning officers (AROs) have been appointed for the conduct of coming general election.

Thirty-six DROs, 149 ROs and 307 AROs have been appointed in Punjab; 30 DROs, 65 ROs and 99 AROs in Balochistan; 27 DROs, 64 ROs and 130 AROs in Sindh; 24 DROs, 133 ROs and 145 AROs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; eight DROs, 12 ROs and 23 AROs in Fata; and one RO, two DROs and four AROs in the Federal Capital.

The total number of registered voters, which was 84.36 million in June last year, increased to 85.42 million on Feb 27.

But still a gigantic task is ahead for the Election Commission of Pakistan as the number of computerised national identity card (CNIC) holders has reached 93.4 million. This simply means that some eight million eligible voters have been left out of the electoral roll.

An Election Commission of Pakistan official told Dawn that efforts would be made to enrol all registered voters before the announcement of the election schedule.

The commission’s additional secretary, Mohammad Afzal Khan, wrote letters to leaders of mainstream political parties on Friday, urging them to ask their workers to check enrolment of votes through the unique 8300 service.

He said it was the last chance for correction as well as fresh enrolment as voters because the legal doors would close after the announcement of the poll schedule.

Afzal Khan told Dawn that training for 700,000 polling officials would start on March 4. He said a meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan with Law Minister Farooq H. Naek would be held to finalise the amended version of nomination papers for candidates. After that it would be sent to the president for approval.

He said Rs2 billion of the Rs6bn sought for election expenses had been released to the commission and a meeting with the finance secretary for the release of the remaining amount would be held on March 7.

Ninety per cent of non-sensitive material has been procured and printed. Non-market paper with distinct security features has also been procured.

Afzal Khan said five election tribunals in Punjab and three each in other provinces would be set up and the provincial election commissions were in the process of arranging buildings for the tribunals.

He said directives were being issued to keep Election Commission of Pakistan offices in all districts open round the clock to facilitate enrolment of voters and correction in electoral lists.

Opinion

Editorial

New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.
Ceasefire, finally
Updated 26 Mar, 2024

Ceasefire, finally

Palestinian lives matter, and a generation of orphaned Gazan children will be looking to the world community to secure justice for them.
Afghan return
26 Mar, 2024

Afghan return

FOLLOWING a controversial first repatriation phase involving ‘illegal’ Afghan refugees last November, the...
Planes and plans
26 Mar, 2024

Planes and plans

FOR the past many years, PIA has been getting little by way of good press, mostly on account of internal...