A vote for change

This refers to an article, ’A vote for change’ (Nov 11), by Amna Nasir Malik in which she has highlighted the importance of vote, voters’ education and has narrated, in particular, the sufferings and difficulties of the teachers, while performing election duties.

There are similar problems of permanent staff of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) itself.

The ECP is composed of the chief election commissioner (CEC), who is a retired judge of the Supreme Court, and four members, who are serving judges of the high courts, one each from the four provinces. In the hierarchy of the ECP, there is a secretary in the ECP secretariat, Islamabad, and provincial election commissioners in all provincial secretariats.

Under them, in the field offices, work the deputy election commissioners (DECs) at the former dysfunctional divisions level, and assistant election commissioners (AECs) in the districts, who are also the registration officers.

The post of AEC-cum-RO, in the field office of the district is most vital in hierarchy of the ECP. Virtually, all the work of the registration of votes, preparing electoral rolls and their preservation and custody and providing the same to the contesting and prospective candidates as per the rules, making maps and sketches and demarcation of constituencies, making polling schemes, appointing polling stations and polling personnel, and preservation of other election material, i.e. ballot papers and ballot boxes, and to provide the logistic support to the district returning officer (DRO) and returning officers (ROs), is all done by the AECs concerned.

However, it is very disappointing to mention that AECs are devoid of all the basic and important facilities to perform their duties in the field offices, due to which a great difficulty is being faced by them, particularly during election time.

The strength of the district field office is one officer (AEC) plus two clerks and a peon to perform the hectic and bulk election work round the dock, in addition to their usual office work. Moreover, the ECP has not provided the AECs their own offices in the field as these are accommodated temporarily in the district government offices and court rooms, which lack proper buildings, sanitations, furniture and other facilities, although large numbers of people visit the field offices of the ECP to get vote certificate, to confirm their names in the voting list and to know about the election schedule and activities.

Besides, the officials of the ECP have to work under constant pressure and sense of insecurity in the field caused to them by powerful MNAs, MPAs of the constituencies concerned and local politicians and party men, who intimidate them and demand fake registration of votes, and appointment of their favourite places and persons as polling stations and polling staff.

The post of the AEC, who is in charge at district level, is still of grade 17, while the DRO and ROs are officers of grade 20 and 19, respectively, and other posts of district officers in the district administration, with whom AECs have to work and liaison with in the conduct of elections, have been upgraded to grade 18 under the local government system, for which the sense of inferiority always prevail amongst them.

It is apathy that no proper training is imparted to the field officials of the ECP to acquaint them with the election laws and rules for conduct of elections and debriefing the polling personnel.

Therefore, it is imperative, that the CEC and the government take notice of the situation to address these basic problems of the ECP staff to provide them proper training, offices, residence and other adequate facilities and proper security and protection, so that they can perform their duties diligently without any fear or favour, which are basic ingredients to hold free, fair and transparent elections, as charity begins at home. 

A CONCERNED CITIZEN
Dadu

Family pension

With growing age, family grows larger: hence social obligations multiply. Pension is less than salary.

To fill the gap between the salary and the pension, to fulfil multiplied social obligations and to meet unabated rising cost of living, a pensioner generally finds additional incomeyielding job.

No sooner a pensioner dies than his pension is cut down by almost two-thirds for his family, inclusive of widow, unmarried daughters, unemployed sons and minors.

Supplementary income also ceases with the death of the pensioner. Cost of living increases further. Isn’t it tragic for a bereaved family? Yes, it is. It is a big tragedy.

Does the death of an earning member provide any financial relief to the remaining family members? Time and again, the problem of family pension has been presented before competent authorities.

It is regretted that ears which should hear grievances of widows, unmarried daughters, unemployed sons and minors seem to be deaf.

I appeal to the president of Pakistan to personally give most sympathetic consideration to this human suffering and order full pension for families of dead pensioners.

Needless to say cases of family pension are not very many which cannot be absorbed in a big national budget.

ABDUL RAZZAK SIDDIQUI
Karachi