Election 2013- A history in the Making
The May 2013 election surfaced as a key milestone on the map of the political history of Pakistan that prompted the transfer of power from one elected civilian government to another, respecting the will of the people of Pakistan. Unlike the two preceding elections in 2002 and 2008 which were characterised by low voter turnout, May 2013 election witnessed an unprecedented voter turnout especially among urban middle class youth and women who for the first time came out of their homes to exercise their right to vote. Other important features of Election 2013 included the proactive role of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), an improved legal framework; a higher level of confidence in the ECP at the national level; a significantly improved voter registration process and Election Day procedures which were observed with some degree of fairness in the urban centres however they were less effectively managed in the rural settings.
Voter Education Material
Report 10th May 2013 – District Shikarpur Report 9th May 2013 – Analysis of Code of Conduct before Election – NA 2001 / PS 6 Ghotki Election Poster For Voter Education & Training Material click ECP website
SPO and Election 2013
Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) is a leading right- based civil society organization of Pakistan working for good governance, democracy, peace and human rights. With a national office in Islamabad and a dozen of field offices in all four provinces and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) SPO is present in more than 70 districts of Pakistan. The overall objective of SPO’s Programme is to strengthen and support community and public institutions for afore mentioned objectives. Over the years, SPO has developed a countrywide network of over 4000 civil society organizations (CSOs) as social change agent and built their research and advocacy skills. Under Democratic Governance Program SPO gets actively engaged in Elections. In the 2008 elections, SPO was the only organization that was part of two consortiums i.e. Free & Fair Election Network (FAFEN) and Pakistan Coalition for Free and Fair Democratic Election (PACFREL) and carried out extensive election observation in all four provinces. The observation was carried out through locally trained male and female observers. In addition to that, SPO published a number of publications which includes posters, guidance leaflets, pamphlets on importance of women voters and mainstreaming minorities in election process. For the general elections 2013, SPO with the support of Democratic Reporting International (DRI) sensitized and built capacity of district political party leaders on ECP’s “code of conduct” across four provinces of Pakistan. In another initiative, SPO with the support of DRI revived the Provincial Electoral Program Implementers Committee (PEPIC) in Sind and Punjab province where civil society organizations meet and discuss preparations for upcoming elections, discuss advocacy issues and plan for activities. SPO is also observing general elections 2013. With the technical support from FAFEN, the observation will be carried out through more than 3000 male and female trained observers. Candidate forums at constituency level were organized with signed pledges & commitments from contesting election candidates for a safe and conflict free elections. For gender inclusiveness, SPO with the support of two prominent human rights activists Ms. Tahira Abdullah and Ms. Naheed Aziz is undertaking a gender analysis of political parties’ manifestos. Findings and recommendations of it will be shared with leadership of major political parties in the form of a printed report. For an effective voter education & mobilization campaign, SPO has made partnerships with BBC and Express TV where programs and promotional messages will be aired through their satellite and online streams. For better understanding and enhanced outreach at field level, a series of 6 posters on voter mobilization was also developed in Urdu language To inculcate democratic values, inter provincial harmony and conflict free elections, SPO organized a 5 day long study tour to Sind province for a delegation of political party leaders from Punjab. The delegation, which comprises of district senior management of major political parties in Punjab visited party offices, met with prominent political leaders in Sind and developed a guideline for future cooperation. SPO has published public awareness material to educate voters on importance and process of casting vote in the elections. In some of the districts help desks have also been set up to facilitate and guide voters, specially women through mock exercises. FM channels are being used for public awareness campaigns.
Organizations Supporting Elections
NGOs and INGOs Name & Web Addresses Web Addresses All Women’s Advancement and Resource Development (AWARD) www.awardpak.com Awaz Foundation Pakistan-Centre for Development Services www.awazcds.org.p Baanhn Beli www.baanhnbeli.org BEDARI www.bedari.org.pk Basic Education for Awareness Reforms and Empowerment (BeF ARE) www.befare.org Cavish Development Foundation www.cavish.org Citizens Commission for Human Development (CCHD) www.cchd.org.pk Community Development Program (CDP) www.cdporg.net Centre for Peace and Development (CPD) www.cpdbalochistan.org Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) www.cpdi-pakistan.org DEVCON-An Association for Rural Development www.devconpk.org Goth Seengar Foundation (GSF) www.gothseengar.org Human Development Society (HDS) www.hdspakistan.org Intermedia www.intermedia.org.pk Indus Resource Centre (IRC) www.irc-pakistan.com Integrated Regional Support Program (IRSP) www.irsp.org.pk Khwendo Kor www.khwendokor.org.pk P AlMAN Alumni Trust www.paimantrust.org PATTAN Development Organization www.pattan.org Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) www.pakistanpressfoundation.org Forum for Human Rights Pakistan (FHR) www.safhr.org Step Towards Empowerment of Pupil (STEP) www.steppk.org SUDHAAR www.sudhaar.org.pk SUNGI Development Foundation www.sungi.org Takhleeq Foundation www.takhleeqfoundation.org Taraqee Foundation www.taraqee.org International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) http:! /www.ifespakistan.org/ UNDP – Pakistan undp.org.pk/ Democracy Reporting International (DRI) www.democracy-reporting.org The Asia Foundation http:/www.asiafoundation.org Department for International Development DFID https:/www.gov.uk/governm
Institutions Supporting Elections
Name of Institution Web Address Election Commission of Pakistan www.ecp.gov.pk Government of Pakistan www.pakistan.gov.pk Nadra www.nadra.gov.pk Dawn News www.dawn.com Daily Jang www.jang.com.pk The Express Tribune www.tribune.com.pk Geo TV www.geo.tv ARY News www.arynews.tv Dunya News www.dunyanews.tv
Orgnizations Supporting Elections
All Women’s Advancement and Resource Development (AWARD) www.awardpak.com Awaz Foundation Pakistan-Centre for Development Services www.awazcds.org.pk BEDARI www.bedari.org.pk Basic Education for Awareness Reforms and Empowerment (BeF ARE) www.befare.org Cavish Development Foundation www.cavish.org Citizens Commission for Human Development (CCHD) www.cchd.org.pk Community Development Program (CDP) www.cdporg.net Centre for Peace and Development (CPD) www.cpdbalochistan.org Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) www.cpdi-pakistan.org DEVCON-An Association for Rural Development www.devconpk.org Goth Seengar Foundation (GSF) www.gothseengar.org Human Development Society (HDS) www.hdspakistan.org Intermedia www.intermedia.org.pk Indus Resource Centre (IRC) www.irc-pakistan.com Integrated Regional Support Program (IRSP) www.irsp.org.pk Khwendo Kor www.khwendokor.org.pk PAlMAN Alumni Trust www.paimantrust.org PATTAN Development Organization www.pattan.org Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) www.pakistanpressfoundation.org Forum for Human Rights Pakistan (FHR) www.safhr.org Step Towards Empowerment of Pupil (STEP) www.steppk.org SUDHAAR www.sudhaar.org.pk SUNGI Development Foundation www.sungi.org Takhleeq Foundation www.takhleeqfoundation.org Taraqee Foundation www.taraqee.org UNDP – Pakistan www.undp.org.pk Democracy Reporting International (DRI) www.democracy-reporting.org Department for International Development DFID www.gov.uk
Code of Conducts
List of Election Commission of Pakistan Code of Conducts Political Parties Polling Personnel Security Personnel Observers Media Toolkit for Reporting on Pakistan’s 2013 Elections Code of Ethics for Media for Gender Sensitive Reporting
Political Parties Manifestos
List of Political Parties Manifestos Awami National Party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Urdu version) Muttahida Quami Movement Muttahida Quami Movement (Urdu version) Pakistan Muslim League – Functional Pakistan Muslim League – N Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians
Zia zinda hey, By: Naseer Memon The Express Tribune (15th April 2013)
Vestiges of Tahirul Qadri’s dharna have turned into splinters and are strewn in all directions today. A sanctimonious brigade, armed with Articles 62 and 63, is rumbling to haunt politicians. In a modern, democratic country, politicians being disqualified for not remembering parts of the Scriptures is highly unfortunate. An incognito ideology is another warhead in the arsenal to deal with “traitors” of the country attempting to reach parliament, which is supposedly reserved for the pious. The much revered and vaguely defined lofty “Ideology of Pakistan” is yet to be deciphered. The arbitrary use of this term in the absence of any standard definition is incomprehensible. It is a pity that a highly credible personality like Ayaz Amir was knocked off his pedals on flimsy grounds of desecrating the national ideology although this decision was thankfully reversed on appeal. Several others are being precluded from contesting the elections because they were unable to satisfy the returning officers concerned about their knowledge of religion. One wonders how a lack of religious knowledge justifies purging people from their right of public representation. Politicians are also being denigrated for not striking off these clauses through the Eighteenth Amendment. In fact, the Amendment also circumvented several other objectionable clauses in pursuit of a consensus package. It will be unfair to consider the Eighteenth Amendment a panacea for every ailment. Seeking the concurrence of right-wing parties probably cramped revoking such clauses from the Constitution. A similar development in Bangladesh can make for a pertinent reference point. In January 2010, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh removed the Fifth and Seventh Amendments inserted in its country’s Constitution during military regimes. The verdict realigned the Constitution with four basic principles of its original document — democracy, nationalism, socialism and secularism. These Amendments were subsequently validated by parliament with a three-fourth majority. Despite such a valiant initiative, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, the prime minster, found it too audacious to proceed with and in October, she and her advisers agreed to not remove the Islamic phrase of inception from the Constitution, which was inserted by dictator General Ziaur Rahman. The decision relegated the legal reforms proposed by the Court and also invited the ire of the liberal and secular parties of the country. In contrast, in Pakistan, state institutions frequently exude their obstinacy in these matters. Also, a motley of evangelical religious outfits have turned the country into a tinderbox. Such a lethal combination makes it practically impossible for political forces to take far-reaching decisions in isolation, unless society rallies behind them. The recent episode of scrutiny of candidates is a clarion call for our society. If inanities in the name of faith and illusive morality are left unquestioned, the country will plunge into medieval times and nothing will be able to extricate it from such a morass. A politically impotent society will have to face far more serious consequences than just perceived turpitude and corruption. While Bangladesh reversed the constitutional amendments made by its Zia, in Pakistan, still Zia zinda hey. Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013. http://tribune.com.pk/story/535504/zia-zinda-hey/