The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs met today in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Senator Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand to review the Free and Fair Election Network’s (FAFEN) comprehensive analysis of the 2024 General Elections. The meeting was attended by FAFEN Chairperson and representatives, officials from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and Senators Pervaiz Rasheed, Kamran Murtaza, and Sarmad Ali.
The Committee received an in-depth briefing from FAFEN on election-related procedures, anomalies, and statistical trends from 1971 to 2024. FAFEN highlighted significant procedural flaws, including the difficulty of filing complaints in election tribunals, a concern echoed by Senator Kamran Murtaza. FAFEN called for simplification of the complaint process to enhance accessibility and justice.
Key statistical insights presented by FAFEN included:
- *1,008 complaints* were registered from Provincial Assembly constituencies before the elections.
- *345 complaints* emerged from *266 National Assembly constituencies*.
- A problematic voter-to-representative ratio persists, with one representative serving *1 million people* in some areas, contrary to the standard *500,000* ratio.
- *Polling station issues* were reported, with *25% of candidates* dissatisfied with polling arrangements.
- *18.2% of polling agents* did not receive *Form 46*, a legally required document.
- Problems were reported in *92% of vote counting processes, with only **8% being properly organized*.
- *3.5%* (or 21,210) polling stations had issues with ballot secrecy.
- *66% of independent candidates* ran in constituencies where PTI was not represented.
- *83% of the public* believed the elections would be fair just one week before the polls.
- Despite this optimism, *only 48% voter turnout* was recorded in 2024, compared to *52% in 2018* and *55.5% in 2013*.
Chairman Committee Humayun Mohmand raised serious concerns about the manipulation of postal ballots, questioning the disproportionate use in *Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan* versus lower utilization in *Punjab and Sindh. FAFEN noted that while **106,000 postal votes* were polled in *265 NA constituencies, **234,802 postal ballots were counted, with **no verifiable record* of how many were issued.
According to FAFEN, postal ballots are not counted immediately. Instead, they are tallied *72 hours after polling* at RO offices in the presence of candidates, and results are added to *Form 48*.
FAFEN revealed that in *135 out of 265 constituencies, its observers were **denied entry to RO offices, and in **36 constituencies, results were allegedly altered by including **rejected votes. In response, FAFEN recommended that **decisions regarding rejected votes and postal ballots* be made at the *time of counting*, not afterward.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid highlighted confusion caused by similar election symbols, such as pairing a *dove with an eagle* or a *sheep with a lion, further compounded by the **black-and-white printing* of symbols. Chairman Mohmand noted, “If Form 46 is not received, then something is definitely wrong.”
FAFEN also criticized the lack of legal clarity regarding the validity of multiple *Form 45s, calling for a **single official version, photocopied and distributed to all agents. It was also revealed that **mobile and internet services were blocked, preventing submission of Form 45 via EMS, while the system was originally built around **RTS (Result Transmission System)*.
The Committee also heard calls for *financial transparency* in election campaigns. FAFEN stressed that current laws do *not limit campaign spending* by political parties or individuals supporting candidates. FAFEN recommended setting strict expenditure caps and ensuring *public disclosure of campaign financing*.
On the matter of electoral participation, FAFEN suggested:
- *Overseas Pakistanis* should be allowed to vote and contest elections.
- Dual citizens may either be granted conditional participation or have a clear framework for inclusion.
- A feasible method for their participation could be *postal ballots*.
- Representation of *minorities* should be increased in line with population ratios, similar to the increase in *women’s reserved seats* from 10 to 60.
Regarding electoral reforms, the Committee stressed the need for:
- An *independent delimitation commission, to complete constituency revisions at least **six months before elections*.
- Greater emphasis on *electronic voting machines (EVMs)* to reduce rejected votes, which currently remain significant.
Senator Kamran Murtaza noted, “Until institutional rigging is eliminated, elections will never be transparent. The real issue is: who will tie the bell around the cat’s neck?”
FAFEN added that *successful candidates received just 21% of registered votes, raising serious concerns about the mandate’s legitimacy. The network proposed a **comprehensive audit of Form 45* through cross-verification with *Forms 46, 47, and 48*.
Chairman Humayun Mohmand concluded, “Yes, the system must be improved. The people’s faith in electoral fairness must be restored.”
The Committee resolved to further deliberate on proposed reforms in the next meeting.
