Voter Education is at the top priority of the Election Commission of Pakistan

Islamabad, October 08, 2012 (PPI-OT): Voter Education is at the top priority of the Election Commission of Pakistan in the period leading up to the next general elections and the ECP will celebrate 17th October 2012 as “National Voters’ Day” throughout the country to create awareness among the general public about the importance of their votes.

As it is clear from the past experiences, voter turnout has remained between 35 and 45 percent in the general elections conducted since1985 and which is quite low as compare to other countries especially in the South Asian region. It is therefore need of the time to devise a concrete mechanism for voters’ inclusiveness in the future electoral and political processes.

Unfortunately, voter education is an area which hitherto was seen more as a media campaign around the specific time of elections forgetting the fact that people don’t participate only because appeals are made at the eleventh hour. It is imperative that traditional way of doing voter education is changed with a more planned, proactive and longer term approach.

All Pakistanis are requested to come forward and check their votes detail by sending through SMS giving CINC number (without hash or hyphen) to 8300 or contact ECP’s district offices for registration of vote, or for correction of particulars, or for filing compliant against any entry in the Electoral rolls.

The ECP has, for this purpose, started reaching out to the provincial governments, requesting them for full participation and have advised its provincial, divisional and district officers to take initiatives at all levels in order to mobilize voters. The ECP has also engaged civil society organizations and local political party leadership at provincial and district levels to contribute in this significant national cause.

For more information, contact:
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
Election Commission of Pakistan Secretariat
Election House, Constitution Avenue G-5/2,
Islamabad
Tel: +9251 920 1975, +9251 920 6062
Fax: +9251 920 5402, +9251 920 5300