ECP PAYS SPECIAL ATTENTION TO LARKANA
ECP paid special attention to the constituency of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Chairperson PPP and Senator Asif Ali Zardari. M ore than 250,000 voters have not been included in the fresh voter lists in Larkana district alone. Consider: during the local bodies' elections, the number of registered voters in Larkana was 601,200 but the new voter lists contained 349,000 names, depicting a difference of 251,000 voters.
A majority of the voters' whose names were missing was from the PPP's constituencies, it is thus clear that the reduction in the number of voters indicated that the government was indulging into pre-poll rigging to inflict defeat on the PPP in the ensuing general elections.

WHERE ARE 20 MILLION MISSING VOTES?
Why there is a huge decline in the number of voters in the current, draft computerized voter list? It is important to note that there were 71.86 million voters on the electoral rolls used in the 2002 general elections and that this number should have increased to around 82 million now (taking into account a 2.7 percent per year voters population growth rate) The gap between currently registered voters and the number to which the voting population should have risen is an alarming 27 million or 33 percent.

WHY THERE IS LACK OF TRUST ON NEW VOTERS LIST?
Majority of the centers displaying computerized voter-lists were deserted, with each display centre attracting 15 to 25 visitors during the past seven days in the Peshawar, (Source: DailyTimes, June 19, 2007). The display centers have so far received 7 to 10 complaints from voters and only 12 to 17 registration forms have been submitted since the centers were opened. Why there is such a huge trust deficit between ECP and people of Pakistan.

ALARMINGLY HUGE NUMBERS OF MISSING WOMEN VOTES:
The number of women voters has registered a huge decrease of 96 percent in FATA, 41 percent in Sindh, 37 percent in Punjab and 19 percent in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) (Source: PILDAT Analysis)

ECP's FLIP-FLOP ABOUT ID-CARDS:
The ECP has been saying that everyone possessing Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) has now completed the registration process.   But, not everyone, particularly those in rural areas, has been able to obtain this card, for a variety of reasons (mainly related to cost and accessibility).  Last year, the ECP permitted the use of both old National Identity Cards and the new computerized ones for registration purposes.   Why can't the ECP allow the use of any of the multiple identifications cards currently available, such as driving licenses and passports, as this would enable many more voters to register?

BRIBES FOR REGISTRATION FORMS?
Why can't the ECP make the voter registration process both easy and affordable for all Pakistanis? In fact, the PPP believes that the ECP should waive all fees associated with the registration process and make registration forms downloadable as well.   This would reduce corruption, as some reports are coming in that indicate that government employees are asking for bribes to provide these forms. 

WHERE IS ELECTRONIC COPY?
Why has the ECP refused to release a preliminary, electronic copy of the voter list to Pakistani political parties for verification purposes?   If the forms are not released immediately, then political parties and other civil society organizations can't begin the important process of analyzing and verifying the information currently on the lists.  

FAILURE TO CONDUCT PUBLIC EFFECTIVE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN:
Why has very little information been provided to the public about the display centers where hard copies of the voter lists are, supposedly, being displayed?  Exact locations and telephone numbers must be provided if the general public is to make use of these centers.  

WHAT'S THE HURRY?
Why has the ECP established a very short time frame (just 3 weeks) during which political parties can contest the information currently found on the voter lists?   It will simply be impossible for analysts to traverse a rural country like Pakistan to review the lists in such a short period. 

WHY SHY AWAY FACING POLITICAL PARTIES?
Why does the ECP refuse to engage in any kind of dialogue with the parties to provide information and updates on the electoral process?  

PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR SALE?
Why is the ECP demanding a large fee for providing the hard-copies of the final voters lists to political parties and civil society organizations?  After the election is called, all political parties are entitled to copies of the voters list. If current rules are not changed, it is estimated that a political party will need to pay Rs. 5 million to purchase a complete a set of final voters list in hard copies (paper printed copies).

WHY ECP IS SCARED OF VERIFICATION OF VOTERS LIST?
Why are representatives of political parties not being allowed to monitor the ongoing activities in the data centre where the computerization and preparation of the lists is taking place?   If they are allowed to do so, it would greatly increase the public's confidence in this process?