August 1; A delegation of PILDAT Citizens Group on Electoral Process visited the Election Commission of Pakistan and interacted in detail with the Secretary and Members of the Election Commission.

Justice (Retd.) Riaz Kayani, member of the Commission from Punjab, Justice (Retd.) Shahzad Akbar Khan, member KP and Mr. Ishtiak Ahmad Khan, Secretary ECP, alongside other ECP officials engaged with the CGEP members on a number of CGEP Electoral Reform Proposals.

CGEP members were led by Mr. Shahid Hamid, Senior Advocate Supreme Court, former Governor Punjab, and included Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani, Chairman Gallup, Pakistan, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Moinuddin Haider, former Governor Sindh, Senator Fasih Iqbal, Editor-in-Chief Balochistan Times, Justice (Retd.) Nasira Iqbal, former Judge; Senator Javed Jabbar, former Federal Minister; Mr. Ghazi Salahuddin, Senior Journalist, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director PILDAT.

CGEP members appreciated the ECP for completion of the task of Final Electoral Rolls, albeit after a delay of 7 months. The Group also praised the initiatives of the ECP in instituting key electoral reforms in the country in the past 3 years, especially noting the leadership of fomer CEC, former acting CEC and the Secretary ECP in this regard. The real challenge is to win the public trust and confidence which will be the greatest asset of the ECP, the Group believed.

Members of the Commission and the Secretary acknowledged electoral reform proposals offered by the CGEP from time to time and stressed that the CGEP support, reform proposals and and scrutiny of the performance of the Commission is necesary in improving the electoral fairness in the country.

In response to various reform proposals, the Secretary ECP assured the Group that the ECP will institute all possible electoral reform proposals ahead of upcoming General Election.