The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday reviewed a detailed report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) on the 2024 General Elections, highlighting systemic irregularities and calling for sweeping electoral reforms.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Dr Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, was attended by FAFEN Chairperson and representatives, senior officials from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and Senators Pervaiz Rashid, Kamran Murtaza, and Sarmad Ali.
The FAFEN presented a comprehensive analysis covering electoral trends from 1971 to 2024. The report underscored procedural weaknesses, including difficulties in filing complaints with election tribunals. Senator Kamran Murtaza echoed these concerns, urging simplification of the complaint process for greater accessibility and justice.
FAFEN shared several statistical insights. Senator Mohmand raised concerns over possible manipulation of postal ballots, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where usage was disproportionately high compared to Punjab and Sindh.
FAFEN also called for a single, official version of Form 45 to avoid discrepancies, criticizing the system’s failure to transmit results through EMS after mobile and internet services were suspended. The original Result Transmission System (RTS) failed to operate effectively under these conditions.
The Committee also discussed campaign financing, with FAFEN urging legal limits on political party expenditures and mandatory public disclosure of all campaign funding.
FAFEN advocated for the inclusion of overseas Pakistanis in the electoral process, recommending either voting rights or candidacy options through postal ballots or a structured legal framework.
It also pushed for increased minority representation, suggesting a model similar to the expansion of women’s reserved seats from 10 to 60.
Senator Kamran Murtaza remarked, ‘Until institutional rigging is eliminated, elections will never be transparent. The real issue is: who will tie the bell around the cat’s neck?’
Senator Humayun Mohmand concluded by acknowledging the need for systemic overhaul, stating, ‘Yes, the system must be improved. The people’s faith in electoral fairness must be restored.’ The Committee will continue deliberations on FAFEN’s proposed reforms in its next session.