Islamabad, February 3; The Citizens Group on Electoral Process, a non-partisan Group comprising eminent Pakistanis, held meetings and interactions here today with Syed Naved Qamar, MNA and Federal Minister and the Federal Secretary Law Justice (Retd.) Aqil Mirza, to present the Group�s recommendations specifically on Computerised Electoral Rolls and required Electoral Reforms in Pakistan.

The CGEP Members part of these interactions included Mr. Arif Nizami, Columnist and former Editor, The Nation; Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin, Columnist, The News; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Moinuddin Haider, Former Governor Sindh/ Former Federal Minister for Interior; Mr. Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami, Editor in Chief, Daily Pakistan; Mr. Shahid Hamid, Senior Advocate Supreme Court and Former Governor Punjab; Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director PILDAT and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT.

The Group shared its key recommendations on Electoral Rolls, especially that of using the NADRA database for updating and refining electoral rolls, with Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA and Federal Minister, who is also member of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms as well as a member of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law. Syed Naveed Qamar thanked the CGEP members for undertaking the work of electoral reforms in support of the democratic government and political parties. He informed CGEP members that Government was actively considering using the NADRA databases for electoral rolls. He also shared with members developments on constitutional and legal reforms in the electoral process.

On Tuesday, February 2, the Citizens Group also held a Consultative Session on the topic of Computerised Electoral Rolls in Pakistan. The Group, which formulated its detailed recommendations ahead of February 2008 elections and later through further consultations, was briefed by Mr. Tariq Malik, Deputy Chairman, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on the topic of Accurate Electorate Rolls and the Possible Role of NADRA while Sheikh Jalil Ahmed, Deputy Secretary, Election Commission of Pakistan shared with the CGEP members An update on the Preparation of Electoral Rolls since February 2008 General Election.

The Citizens Group on Electoral Process-CGEP, that had been formed by PILDAT in 2006, with the avowed goal of contributing towards the holding of free, fair and credible elections in Pakistan, is currently working towards instituting electoral reforms in the country with a view that far-reaching electoral reforms can only be brought in at this stage by the democratic government to ensure level-playing field to all in future elections in Pakistan. A number of well-known personalities from the media, legal profession, civil society and former members of the superior judiciary and armed forces, but with no present affiliation with any political party, have been serving as members of the Group. The CGEP has played a key role in monitoring of the electoral process ahead of February 2008 General Elections.

Members who were part of the meeting included Mr. Arif Nizami, Columnist and former Editor, The Nation; Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin, Columnist, The News; Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi, Political & Defence Analyst; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Moinuddin Haider, Former Governor Sindh/Former Federal Minister for Interior; Mr. Mujib-ur-Rehman Shami, Editor in Chief, Daily Pakistan; Justice (Retd.) Nasira Iqbal, Former Judge, Lahore High Court; Dr. Parvez Hassan, Partner, Hassan & Hassan Advocates; Mr. Shahid Hamid, Senior Advocate Supreme Court and Former Governor Punjab; Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director PILDAT and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT.

The CGEP Initiative on Electoral Reforms is part of the PILDAT project titled Electoral and Parliamentary Process and Civil Society in Pakistan, in partnership with the East-West Centre, Hawaii and supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund.