PESHAWAR: Provincial Election Commissioner Pir Maqbool Ahmad has said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken valuable suggestions from over 5,000 stakeholders, including media, to ensure the holding of the free and fair election.
He shared these views on Monday while addressing Strategic Plan 2019-2023 at a consultative meeting with media persons held here. The meeting was aimed to get suggestions from relevant quarters and include the suggestions in the five-year Strategic Plan 2019-2023 for the upcoming election.
Pir Maqbool said the objective of the consultative meeting was to highlight the vision of Election Commission about the Election Plan for 2023, in which participants discussed ECP's vision, strategic goals and basic structure for the elections.
He said we must have to utilize our expertise for free and fair elections in the country to win the confidence of masses. To a suggestion to start post ballot papers for journalists like Pakistan forces as they were on duty in different cities on the election day, the commissioner called it a good suggestion and noted it down in the five-year strategic plan.
He said the key points of the strategic plan 2023 were to ensure that the will of the people is truly reflected in the democratic process. The draft of the Strategic Plan 2023 includes fairness in all electoral processes. About work ethics and discipline, it said adherence to rules and regulations, time management and office decorum are needed.
About transparency, it said, transparency is needed in policies and actions throughout the electoral cycle, inclusive of the consultation process and access to information. It said that inclusiveness needs to create favourable conditions for women, persons with disabilities, transgender persons and minorities.
It said there should be a consultative approach within the organization and other stakeholders during planning and policymaking. It said that the processes be made easier to facilitate public and there should be gender mainstreaming and sensitization.
In the five years plan, it said that strategic pillars and goals are to ensure consistency between Local Government Acts/Rules with the Elections Act 2017 and the Election Rules, 2017, to rationalize human resource strength, improve recruitment process and promote performance-based human resource management, to improve record management procedures and systems for efficient and to enhance internal communication and coordination.
The plan is to improve electoral procedures and access to polling stations, improve planning and ensure efficient management of election and to ensure financial autonomy and improve financial management.
