Pak EC to foreign observers: Inform government about their plans

Islamabad, Feb 11 : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has advised foreign observers to inform the Interior Ministry and provincial governments about their visits to polling stations before and on February 18 for security reasons.

The ECP said appropriate security arrangements for observers would be made while they monitored the polling process.

According to Pakistan's electoral laws, presiding officers are supposed to provide copies of the vote count to the polling agents, candidates, national and international observers.

"An extensive public awareness campaign about the elections through the print and electronic media has been launched, " the Dawn quoted ECP Secretary Kanwar Dilshad, as saying.

Dilshad also said arrangements have been made for observers to monitor poll proceedings.

For the first time in the Pakistan's electoral history, constituency-wise DVDs have been prepared and being supplied free of cost to major political parties.

"For the facility of political parties, candidates and the general public, computerised electoral rolls have been put on the ECP website," claimed Dilshad.

Presiding officers have been asked to strictly observe Section 38 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 relating to the proceedings at the close of the poll, he said.

ANI