Voters’ list: utilising Nadra | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Voters’ list: utilising Nadra

By: M. KHALID SAIFULLAH

WE all are hearing a lot in the media about voters’ lists. I am amazed why political parties and other institutions are not thinking about other transparent and uncontroversial alternatives to voters’ lists?

I recently discussed the matter with a district-level official of Nadra. He told me that Nadra can easily generate, on a single click, lists of voters even at the levels of revenue village, union council and any other revenue unit.

These lists will be purely based on the data of Nadra which is duly verified by any gazetted officers during the process of CNIC formation. This is the simplest way which requires no additional budget and military involvement.

According to the law, as each CNIC-holder can cast vote, so there is no need to develop a separate voters’ list consuming time, money and other resources.

The Nadra data can easily be analysed using various indicators and needs no additional resources. I would request technocrats, politicians, journalists to think on the idea of using Nadra data instead of preparing voters’ list.

Dilemma

I SENT my CNIC number 61101-5345225-9 to 8300 to verify my name on the electoral roll. In a prompt reply, the ECP said that no record was available for my CNIC.

I am impressed by the computerised automatic answer to my inquiry from the ECP, but where do I vote remains a mystery. Any further guidelines for me from the ECP?


Dawn