Daily Times

LAHORE: The watchdogs (media) of the society were not allowed to observe the process of vote casting, counting process of the results and to monitor the other activities inside of the polling station by security personnel.

Representatives of several media houses expressed their anger owing to mismanagement and lack of coordination between security agencies and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Security officers outside the polling stations were denied to accept the authenticity of the accreditation card and allegedly claimed that no instructions have yet been received from the high-ups and Army personnel regarding allowing media at polling stations.

Daily Times visited different areas of the metropolis including Icchra, Wahadat Colony, Samanabad and Iqbal Town to examine the arrangements at polling stations but remained unsuccessful in entering many stations despite having accreditation cards which were issued by ECP.

Replying to a query, police personnel deputed at Shahabuddin Girls High School said that Army has been strictly directed that media is not allowed. It is pertinent to mention that after being informed about this issue, the high-ups of ECP and Inter Services Public Relations took action and allowed media to perform their duty inside the polling stations but with conditions including no footage on video to be recorded and no permission to bring mobile phones inside.

Some minor scuffles were also reported between media houses and the deployed policeman. This issue was observed at different polling stations of Diyal Village, Misri Shah, Multan Road, Chuburji, Sabzazar, Shadbagh, Wassan Pura, Kahna, Model Town, Thokar Niaz Baig, Mazang and Railway Road. Several media persons were also not allowed to be present at the time of vote counting.

According to ECP’s accreditation card, the holder was permitted to observe the polling and counting process at polling stations and provisional consolidation of results by the Retiring Officer.

Published in Daily Times, July 26^th 2018.