FAFEN launches public campaign

ISLAMABAD, September 11, 2014: The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) launched today an online public campaign (http://www.fafen.org/petition/ecp/sign) demanding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to post on its website essential documents related to the results of General Elections 2013 without further delay, which are fundamental to any objective assessment of the elections and are required for electoral transparency.

The ECP forms contain the records of polling station vote counts, accounting for ballot papers, consolidation of election results, and polling schemes implemented on Election Day. All of the forms contain information of public importance that must be available to citizens, according to the Constitution and law of Pakistan. The release of these documents is necessary for ECP to fulfill its public commitment and meet legal standards for electoral transparency.

The documents include Form XIV (Statement of the Count) and Form XV (Ballot Paper Account) for all polling stations for all National and Provincial Assembly constituency elections, as well as Form XVI (Consolidation of Statements of the Count), Form XVII (Result of the Count) and the Polling Scheme exactly as implemented on Election Day for all National and Provincial Assembly constituencies.

The ECP has yet to make public these essential documents despite repeated requests by FAFEN and political parties. These forms are fundamental to any objective assessment of General Elections 2013. FAFEN says the public release of all key documents is required in order to address questions being raised about the quality and transparency of General Elections 2013.  All citizens can sign a petition urging the ECP to publish the documents by clicking on the following web link http://www.fafen.org/petition/ecp/sign.