ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: Speakers on Friday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to establish an independent commission comprising representatives of all political parties to make recommendations on the essential composites and arrangements for holding free, fair and transparent polls.

Speaking at a symposium titled “Evaluation of Election Postponement for Ensuring Free and Fair Polls” arranged by the Centre for Media and Democracy (CMD), they recommended to the ECP to allay the fears of the political parties about rigging.

Foreign observers and monitors in large number attended the event.

Besides adopting several resolutions, the gathering observed a one-minute silence to pay homage to the late PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. The participants were unanimous that an impartial inquiry should be conducted to determine the elements involved in the assassination of the PPP leader and to establish that the culprits do not escape justice.

CMD Chairperson Ayyub Munir appreciated the efforts of the election commission for consulting the political parties before deciding the delay in election.

He demanded free and fair polls within the timeframe and called for engaging political parties for recommendations on the essential composites and arrangements for the purpose.

Mr Munir also demanded suspension of the local governments a month prior to the polling date, an All Parties Conference before polls and strict law and order situation.

Former diplomat and writer, Tayyab Siddiqui, said the delay in polls had been accepted by the political parties as it had been due to the massive damage in protests and agitations.

Giving an overview of Pakistan’s 60-year history, he regretted that only half of the period there had been democracy in the country and voters turnout in previous elections had been very low. Mr Siddiqui quoted the examples of unrest in Sri Lanka and Iran in specific periods, and said in no case the polls were postponed.

Marvi Sarmad, a prominent human rights activist, urged the election commission to ensure transparency and impartiality during the polls. She demanded that the government should facilitate the foreign observers and monitors.

Fearing the rumours of a rigging plan, she said, the police, Rangers or military personnel should not be deployed at the polling stations to avoid any rigging.

She also urged for an independent and sovereign election commission.

Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) CEO Haris Khalique was of the view that after free, fair polls, transfer of power should be made to the elected representatives.

He said the postponement of the elections would not affect the election results as the PML-Q would not gain anything from the delay.

CMD Director Saima Waqar said that around 11 districts were badly affected due to the riots that erupted soon after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, while infrastructure in 15 national assembly and 33 provincial assembly constituencies was badly damaged.

She said that the CMD had arranged the symposium to conduct an independent evaluation of the situation revealed above and to register more opinion on the prevailing circumstances in context of holding free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections on February 18.

Ms Waqar urged the people to forge unity within their ranks to flash out the terrorist elements, and said that in this way the anti-democratic forces would be wiped out.

Speaking on the occasion, ECP Secretary Kunwar Mohammad Dilshad said a massive countrywide damage to election material and schemes due to deteriorated law and order situation in Sindh and parts of other provinces in the aftermath of Ms Bhutto’s assassination made the holding of polls on January 8 impossible.

He said the disturbances that broke out in the country immediately after December 27 were spontaneous in most cases, however criminal elements also entered the fray to use the occasion for loot and plunder.

“We had an assessment of the situation and sought reports from the chief secretaries and provincial election offices before announcing postponement of elections,” he said.

Mr Dilshad said chief secretaries from Sindh and Punjab provinces and the provincial election officers had recommended a delay due to the prevailing law and order situation and damage to election offices and equipment.

He said political parties were also consulted during three- day hectic activity at the commission and their version was discussed during ECP meetings, before deciding on the delay in polls.

“Not only the mobility of the material and staff had become impossible, but also the process of printing the ballot papers had stopped due to the agitations,” he said.

The ECP secretary assured the audience that free and fair polls would take place on February 18, and brushed aside any claims or accusations regarding rigging in polls.

“For the nation now, there is one aim that overrides all other considerations and that is a free and fair election in a peaceful atmosphere,” he remarked.

Mr Dilshad said legislature was a vital organ of the state and free and fair polls were supreme responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

“Let us hope and pray that every thing goes well and we are in a position to conduct the polls on February 18 in a peaceful, free and fair manner, acceptable to the entire nation, as well as to the national and international observers coming from all over the world.

The foreign observers also interacted with the ECP secretary in the question-answer session.