• March 20, 2007
• Training and Capacity Building
• Web Desk

Date:
MARCH 18-20, 2007
Location:
NAWABSHAH

Media and non governmental organisations can play a vital role regarding democratic governance. For this, they require complete information about electoral process. To raise awareness amongst NGO persons regarding the importance of elections, the PPF organised a three-day training workshop at Nawabshah from March 18 to 20, 2007.

It discussed various aspects of the electoral process. It said the responsibility lay on NGOs to help holding of free and fair elections. NGOs could raise awareness amongst people regarding the importance of voter lists, and with the help of media, ensure transparency in the process of making these lists. NGOs could also raise awareness amongst voters to link their voting rights and demands.

It was noted that there was a general lack of awareness in small towns and rural areas regarding the importance of vote casting. A majority of poor people in rural areas apply for national identity cards to obtain Zakat and assistance from Baitul Mal.

When the workshop participants were asked to suggest ways to improve the situation, they said the NGOs should be provided with training regarding the election process for them to further guide citizens on voting- before, during and after polls. It was stressed that NGOs, journalists and lawyers should join hands to help solving social problems. The participants said that FM radios could also play a major role in raising awareness amongst people.

Nawabshah Taluka Naib Nazim Khan Bahadur Bhatti said the partition of the sub-continent was not carried out honestly and some Muslim majority areas were not included in Pakistan.

He said landlords and elite class who were a major influence on the political system of the country, were indifferent towards the poor. As a result, there has been a lack of socioeconomic change in the country. These politicians practically believed in ‘might is right’ rule.

He said a vast majority of citizens were unaware of their right to protest. The recent statement made by the Sindh Chief Minister, in which he said lawyers would soon be exhausted and end their protest themselves, depicted the mindset of the ruling politicians.
He expressed regret over the increasing trend of ‘forced resignations’ from office-bearers.

Khan Bahadur Bhatti lauded the role of NGOs, saying social workers were doing a commendable job for attempting to bring social changes. He said the task was difficult and it required constant struggle.

Even formal education has not helped, he continued. Stating an example, wearing a seatbelt is compulsory while driving, according to law. This is practiced only on highways because of the imposition of fine on violation of rules.
He said the chief justice of Pakistan was suspended because of his bold suo moto notices.

He said NGOs role during the first phase of local bodies’ government should be to prepare training programs for nazims and councilors. He urged the NGOs to focus on raising awareness amongst masses on proper use of their vote. He said most parents in rural areas apply for national identity cards for their daughters when it was time to get them married, but not to cast their vote.

Khan Bahadur Bhatti said the district government Nawabshah was considered ‘anti-government’ and its funding was deliberately delayed. He said district nazims had little say in bureaucracy. He said the district nazims belonging to the feudal class had power and prestige, the main cause of weakness of local bodies’ system in Pakistan.

He said so far, no government in Pakistan had completed its full five-year tenure. He said there was democracy in Pakistan but it was a sham one.

Azhar Baloch, participant, asked as to how the assistant election commissioners succeeded in tampering with voter lists. Bhatti replied that the candidates were not always present in the office of an assistant election commissioner; therefore people would take advantage by ripping pages off voter lists.

During the group activity, it was observed that the main task for the NGOs was to monitor voter lists and ensure that citizens had their national identity cards and were aware of the process of vote casting. It was suggested that the NGOs should publish guidelines and hold corner meetings to raise awareness amongst voters.

The NGOs could perform their advocacy role and pressurise administration to check electoral irregularities. It was suggested that the NGOs should stage road theaters to educate the masses about the electoral process, besides holding seminars and rallies.

They should also keep an eye of voters’ turnover and security issues and seek help from the media to raise social and political awareness amongst voters. The NGOs should form various groups to expedite different tasks during elections. They should provide information to media so people could be kept abreast of the latest developments.

Jamaat-e-Islami, district Nawabshah, Amir Sarwar Ahmed Qureshi, said in Pakistan media was gaining power. He expressed regret over the monopoly of a small group of people over Pakistani media. He said a single news item had the power to crash a stock exchange.

Citing an example of the influence of media, he said in the United States of America, political parties had personal media advisors, who stayed in touch with media houses. The media publicity-negative or positive led to an impact on the result of the polls.

He said if media played its role properly, it could contribute to the progress and prosperity of the society. He cited an example of Pakistani media during the earthquake in the NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said that presently Indian TV dramas were affecting whole Pakistani society.

District Bar Association Nawabshah, General Secretary Ziaul Hassan Lanjar in his lecture said the Pakistani constitution was amended for vested interests of certain individuals. He said Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid was the only chief justice who took suo moto notices on the issues of human rights under Articles 13-17 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

He regretted that the PPC and CRPC laws made by British rulers two centuries back were still being implemented in Pakistan without any change. He said due to these outdated laws Pakistani masses were deprived of justice. He said a council should be formed in Pakistan to update all laws to streamline them with the needs of changing times.

He noted that cases of rape and burning of victims were on the rise in Nawabshah district and that new laws should be enacted to check these violations. He said the Ministry of Law should hire legal experts in this regard.

Raza Muhammad Khaskheli, participant, asked why the court proceedings in Pakistan were in English language. Lanjar said according to Pakistani law, the court proceedings could be held in the national language Urdu. He said lower courts in Punjab were using Urdu in their proceedings.

To a question regarding undue delay in cases, he said there were few judges belonging to rural areas who know the local language and customs. He suggested hiring judges through merit instead of the quota system.

To another question, he said NGOs should file cases for their causes and engage panels of competent lawyers to fight these cases.

On the concluding day, participants worked on feature writing.

MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio was the chief guest for the certificate award ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the NGOs and media had close relation as both work for solving issues of masses.

He said the real objectives of the creation of Pakistan were yet to be achieved despite a passage of 60 years. He accused the ruling elite for ruining the nation and country. He urged NGOs to work for raising literacy rate in their area. He stressed for voters to realize the importance of their vote.

Later, he distributed certificates amongst workshop participants.