Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Barrister Syed Ali Zafar on Monday expressed hope that people from across the country would exercise their right to vote freely and without any fear on July 25.

Speaking at the inauguration of Election City 2018 of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), he said all stakeholders, including the previous parliament and the Election Commission of Pakistan, had actively played their role for transparent and impartial elections.

He reiterated that the caretaker government was completely impartial. The fate and progress of the country is in hands of the people who will have the opportunity to cast their vote thoughtfully and without any fear, he added.

He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan had prepared software through which results from returning officers would be received directly by the top electoral body and would also be received by Pakistan Television. He said if there would be any interruption at any time in the software of ECP then a hard copy would be acquired from returning officers. Ali Zafar appreciated Radio Pakistan for having hundreds of thousands of followers on social media platforms Twitter and Facebook and said the number was increasing with every passing day. He congratulated the management of Radio Pakistan for setting up the Election City.

To a question, he said Pakistan was fighting the war against terrorism. He noted that the aim of the recent terror incidents was to harm democracy but the nation remained united and political activities continued normally in the country. He said the caretaker government would arrange foolproof security for elections on July 25. Ali Zafar said that 450,000 police personnel and more than 300,000 troops would be deployed for security purposes.

To another question, he said close circuit television cameras (CCTV) would be installed at sensitive polling stations so that the whole process could be kept transparent and clear. He said the credit for transparent election went to Election Commission and the previous parliament, which enacted Election Act 2017. Responding to a question, the minister said after the election of 2013, 55 different complaints were received from observers as well as from media and civil society, adding the previous parliament worked for three years and enacted a comprehensive Election Act so that complaints could not arise.

Ali Zafar said that after the detailed code of conduct and SOPs of the Election Commission, the election process had been improved.

Radio Pakistan Director General Shafqat Jalil and senior officials of Radio Pakistan were present on the occasion.

He said that according to the policy of caretaker government, timely election results would be delivered to the people. He said during the special transmission of Election City, people would listen to the analysis and reports of experts.

Earlier, the information minister visited current affairs section, newsroom, FM 92 Dhanak, desk for translation of regional languages and web desk of Radio Pakistan.

Published in Daily Times, July 24^th 2018.