{"id":8205,"date":"2022-08-31T14:11:48","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T14:11:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/?p=8205"},"modified":"2022-08-31T14:11:48","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T14:11:48","slug":"foundation-of-electoral-reforms-should-be-right-to-participation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/foundation-of-electoral-reforms-should-be-right-to-participation\/","title":{"rendered":"Foundation of electoral reforms should be right to participation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press release<\/p>\n

Foundation of electoral reforms should be right to participation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Islamabad, 31 August 2022<\/em>. A national conference held by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) has underscored the need for electoral reforms that protect the interests of vulnerable and marginalised groups while ensuring credible, transparent elections. Birgit Lamm, Pakistan head of FNF, said that citizens should be informed of their electoral rights and responsibilities, while HRCP secretary-general Harris Khalique pointed out that \u2018federalism and equal citizenship are key parts of the democratic process.\u2019<\/p>\n

Former PPP senator Farhatullah Babar felt that the credibility of elections had always been suspect because of the role of intelligence agencies, which \u2018should be brought within the ambit of the law and held accountable for transgressions.\u2019 Arshad Dad,\u00a0former secretary-general of PTI, said it was important to move beyond\u00a0\u2018the influence of money and\u00a0biraderi<\/em>\u00a0in electoral politics.\u2019 Responding to his comment that voters should be \u2018educated\u2019 for the democratic process to be more effective, NDM chairman Mohsin Dawar contended that \u2018illiterate voters often have more political wisdom than those who hold PhDs.\u2019<\/p>\n

As part of the panel examining polling procedures and voter enfranchisement,\u00a0NADRA chairperson Tariq Malik said that, even though\u00a0NADRA had achieved over 96 percent registration, it was necessary to capture all remaining missing voters. PPP leader\u00a0Taj Haider suggested that\u00a0returning officers should post images of Form 45 to the ECP website for greater transparency of results.<\/p>\n

Former NCSW chairperson Khawar Mumtaz recommended a\u00a020 percent minimum requirement for women voters\u2019 turnout to give parties a greater stake in pushing for women\u2019s registration. Rashid Chaudhry of FAFEN said that polling stations should be no more than 1 kilometre from voters\u2019 area of residence. HRCP Council member Husain Naqi added that no fair election could occur without an accurate census.<\/p>\n

Analysing the quota system for vulnerable groups,\u00a0former PCSW chairperson Fauzia Viqar said that \u2018affirmative action should be translated into mainstream participation.\u2019 Romana Bashir of\u00a0the Peace and Development Foundation concurred, saying that\u00a0religious minorities should have greater representation on parties\u2019 core committees. Information commissioner Zahid Abdullah\u00a0underscored the need for\u00a0an \u2018organic movement\u2019 to mainstream the electoral participation of persons living with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Speaking on\u00a0the electoral process in the context of \u2018fake news\u2019, senior journalist\u00a0Suhail Warraich emphasised that reporting should remain bias-free, while former PFUJ president Shahzada Zulfiqar pointed out that, in the race for breaking news, the role of the editor had receded. Digital rights activist Usama Khilji explained that countering disinformation required greater digital literacy, a culture of fact-checking in media houses, and social media codes of conduct for political parties.<\/p>\n

HRCP chairperson Hina Jilani concluded the conference by saying that \u2018the foundation of electoral reforms should be the right to participation at every stage. However, participation is a means to empowerment, not an end in itself.\u2019<\/p>\n

Hina Jilani
\nChairperson<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>