The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has deployed coordinators in more than 250 constituencies across the country to observe all aspects of the election process. These observers send weekly reports to the FAFEN Secretariat based in Islamabad, which uses the information generated to raise the issues with various stakeholders with a view to improving the quality of electoral processes.

The following provisional report covers the period between November 17 and November 23, 2007, and is based on the information received from more than 100 constituencies from the following districts.

Sr.  No.	Province	Number of  Districts	Name of Districts
1.	Punjab	15	Chakwal, Khushab, Kasur, Jang, Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Multan, Attock, Lodhran, Lahore, Layyah, Jehlum and Mianwali
2.	NWFP	18	Swat, Buner, Charsaddsa, Mardan, Kohat, Peshawar, Bannu, Haripur, Abbotabad, Battagram, Swabi, Hangu, Lower Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Malakand and Nowshera
3.	Sindh	19	Dadu, Khairpur, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi East, Karachi Central, Malir, Umerkot, Ghotki, Matiari, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan and Thatta
4.	Balochistan	8	Jaffarabad, Quetta, Bolan, Naseerabad, Nushki, Kech-Turbat and Gwada
5.	FATA	1	Khyber Fata
6.	ICT	1	Islamabad
	Total	62

While these regular reports will be covering various aspects of the election processes, this report emphasizes issues relevant to the administration of the election.

1. Logistical Needs and Security Plans

Among other tasks assigned to them as listed in the Handbook for District Returning Officers (DROs) published and distributed by the Election Commission of Pakistan, DROs are responsible for ensuring that proper security, communication and contingency plans are drawn by law enforcement agencies in consultation with DROs and Returning Officers (ROs).

FAFEN observers report from 74 constituencies in 62 districts that the ECP officials have already prepared the logistical needs and security plans. However, observers in 31 constituencies in Jehlum, Mianwali, Swat, Charsadda, Hangu, Karak, Dadu, Karachi West, Matiari, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar and Islamabad reported that such planning has yet to be done.

ECP officials in 67 constituencies are prepared to address emergencies that require a role of security agencies on or before Election Day. Such level of preparedness has not been achieved in more than 35 constituencies in Attock, Layyah, Jehlum, Mianwali, Swat, Buner, Charsadda, Kohat, Battagram, Hangu, Karak, Malakand, Dadu, Karachi West, Ghotki, Nawabshah, Tando Muhammad Khan and Islamabad.

2. Election-Related Complaint Handling Mechanism

FAFEN observation reports show that the ECP is lacking in introducing mechanisms at the district level to handle and redress complaints related to election issues as well violations of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Contesting Candidates. Best election practices warrant a clearly laid out and standardized complaint handling system to dispose of cases in a just and efficient manner. The absence of such systems causes distrust of contesting candidates and general public in elections.

FAFEN observers in only 35 constituencies reported that the ECP has introduced some sort of a complaint handling system, although the details of these systems, whether they have been standardized nationally, and how they will function were not available. Moreover, there are no such mechanisms in place in Multan, Attock, Mianwali, Charsadda, Battagram, Dir Lower, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Dadu, Khairpur, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Karachi West, Karachi South, Ghotki, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta and Nushki.

3. Election Expense Tracking Systems

Limiting election expenses is essential to ensure a level playing field and equitable chances to all contesting candidates. Such election expense limits become meaningless in the absence of clearly laid out and standardized enforcement systems. Pakistan is one of the countries where the election expense limits have only proved to be of cosmetic value and has never been enforced in the past.

For Election 2008 as well, the ECP has not yet specified any mechanism at the constituency level for tracking and enforcement of the election spending limits on the contesting candidates. FAFEN observers reported absence of any election expense limits enforcement mechanisms in Multan, Attock, Charsadda, Haripur, Battagram, Dir Lower, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Dadu, Khairpur, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Karachi East, Karachi South, Umer Kot, Ghotki, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Bolan, Nushki and Gwadar.

4. Training of Election Officials

As of November 23, 2007, two days after the process of filing of nomination commenced, there were only four constituencies in Chakwal, Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan and Layyah where training for any election officials had been held. Observers reported that there had not been any training for ECP officials in 71 constituencies in Kasur, Jhang, Okara, Muzaffargarh, Multan, Lahore, Jhelum, Mianwali, Buner, Charsadda, Kohat, Peshawar, Bannu, Haripur, Abbotabad, Khyber, Swabi, Hangu, Dir Lower, Karak, Malakand, Dadu, Khairpur, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Karachi West, East, South, Central, Malir, Umerkot, Ghotki, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Jaffarabad, Bolan and Nasirabad.

Similarly, the election officials in 15 constituencies had received the ECP Handbooks for DROs and ROs containing the election instructional materials. However, no such Handbook had been received in 66 constituencies of Kasur, Jhang, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Jhelum, Mianwali, Swat, Buner, Charsadda, Kohat, Peshawar, Bannu, Haripur, Abbotabad, Swabi, Hangu, Karak, Malakahd, Dadu, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Karachi West, South, East and Central, Malir, Umerkot, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta , Jaffarabad, Bolan and Naseerabad.

5. Accreditation of Election Observers

There appears to be lack of clarity among DROs on issuing accreditation passes to independent election observers, which is one of their assigned responsibilities as mentioned in their ECP Handbook. The ECP in Islamabad has yet to respond to letters and repeated telephone calls from FAFEN for issuance of accreditation passes to its pre-election and Election Day observers. In addition, DROs are not yet issuing accreditation passes to domestic observers in Okara, Multan, Layyah, Jhelum, Mianwali, Swat, Buner, Charsadda, Kohat, Haripur, Abbotabad, Khyber, Battagram, Swabi, Lower Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Nowshera, Dadu, Khairpur, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Karachi West, South, East and Central, Umerkot, Ghotki, Matiari, Nawabshah, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Nushki, Gwadar and Islamabad.

Recommendations

1. FAFEN recommends that the national authorities of the Election Commission of Pakistan issue uniform instructions and guidance to DROs and other relevant election officials in the provinces, districts, and constituencies regarding:

• A standardized, meaningful election complaint system, including instructions to communicate this system clearly to stakeholders at the local level. Candidates and political parties, in particular, need much more information well before Election Day about the format and procedures for redressing pre-election and post-election complaints.
• Accreditation of election observers by DROs, beginning now. FAFEN also requests the ECP at the national level to respond to written communications and telephone calls from election monitoring groups. FAFEN is trying to help avoid a backlog of applications for accreditation immediately before Election Day.
• Standardized planning well in advance for security, communication, contingencies, and emergencies, especially in locations with a history of electoral violence or current political unrest, in order to ensure voters’ safety on Election Day. In particular, FAFEN urges that the ECP take extra steps now to plan for providing security at women’s Polling Stations and Booths and to ensure that they remain open during the full period on Election Day.

2. FAFEN also recommends that the ECP issue clear guidelines to relevant officials at the constituency level for tracking and enforcement of the election spending limits by contesting candidates.

About FAFEN: The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) is a coalition of thirty leading Pakistani civil society organizations. It was established in 2006 to observe the election process, educate voters, and advocate for electoral and democratic reform.