Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD4336
2007-10-05 13:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
COURT ORDERS VOTER ROLLS POSTED ON THE ELECTION
how-toVZCZCXRO8018 OO RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #4336 2781329 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 051329Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2319 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 7603 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6438 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1921 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 7591 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 3628 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 2128 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 004336
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: COURT ORDERS VOTER ROLLS POSTED ON THE ELECTION
COMMISSION'S WEBSITE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2944
Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 004336
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: COURT ORDERS VOTER ROLLS POSTED ON THE ELECTION
COMMISSION'S WEBSITE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2944
Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
ordered October 4 the country's Election Commission (ECP) to
finalize the voter list by October 25 and post it on the
ECP's website. The list will be used in the parliamentary
elections which are expected in early January 2008.
2. (SBU) Political parties, civil society groups and
international donors (including the Embassy) have been
lobbying for free electronic access to the draft voter list
for months. The ECP repeatedly rejected proposals to put the
list on the web because this requirement was not codified in
the electoral law.
3. (C) In response to a Pakistan People's Party (PPP)
petition, the Court on July 26 ordered the ECP to add 30
million names to the voter rolls in 30 days by adding names
from the 2002 voter list to the draft 2007 list. The ECP now
has added 27 million names to the list through this process.
Unfortunately, the 2002 list includes a great many duplicates
and fraudulent entries, so the final voter list will be far
from perfect.
4. (C) Comment: This decision by the Court is long overdue.
It will enable political parties to better motivate their
voters and will contribute to the transparency of the
electoral process. A reconciliation package negotiated by
the government with the PPP was also announced October 5. It
includes provisions to establish a new parliamentary ethics
committee, outline an electoral code of conduct for the
political parties, and fight fraud by enforcing requirements
that electoral results at the polling places be certified by
all the political party representatives.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: COURT ORDERS VOTER ROLLS POSTED ON THE ELECTION
COMMISSION'S WEBSITE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2944
Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
ordered October 4 the country's Election Commission (ECP) to
finalize the voter list by October 25 and post it on the
ECP's website. The list will be used in the parliamentary
elections which are expected in early January 2008.
2. (SBU) Political parties, civil society groups and
international donors (including the Embassy) have been
lobbying for free electronic access to the draft voter list
for months. The ECP repeatedly rejected proposals to put the
list on the web because this requirement was not codified in
the electoral law.
3. (C) In response to a Pakistan People's Party (PPP)
petition, the Court on July 26 ordered the ECP to add 30
million names to the voter rolls in 30 days by adding names
from the 2002 voter list to the draft 2007 list. The ECP now
has added 27 million names to the list through this process.
Unfortunately, the 2002 list includes a great many duplicates
and fraudulent entries, so the final voter list will be far
from perfect.
4. (C) Comment: This decision by the Court is long overdue.
It will enable political parties to better motivate their
voters and will contribute to the transparency of the
electoral process. A reconciliation package negotiated by
the government with the PPP was also announced October 5. It
includes provisions to establish a new parliamentary ethics
committee, outline an electoral code of conduct for the
political parties, and fight fraud by enforcing requirements
that electoral results at the polling places be certified by
all the political party representatives.
PATTERSON