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Have you ever felt weak and hopeless in front of government institutions in Pakistan? Have you ever performed excellent in an exam but later the mark-sheet displayed opposite? Have you ever been disqualified from a job despite of your success in tests and interviews? Are you a senior citizen waiting for post-retirement allowances and allotment of pension? Have you ever felt that, you cannot question the decisions of government institutions and your voice can never enter the doors of public bodies? Right to information (RTI) is a powerful tool to solve such problems; RTI can break the wheel of secrecy and authoritarianism.

Article 19-A of Constitution of Pakistan; protects citizen’s fundamental human right to know. It states that:

“Every citizen shall have the right to have access to information in all matters of public importance subject to regulations and reasonable restrictions imposed by law.”

Through Article 19-A, citizens of Pakistan can have access to information held by the government departments. All over the world, democratic states empower its citizens by protecting their fundamental human right to know. This in turn, helps to promote transparency in government affairs, endorse citizen participation in policy making, enhances people’s confidence in the performance of government bodies and last but not the least, solves the issues of service delivery faced by common man. Though RTI is the fundamental human right but it is not an absolute right. According to federal and provincial right to information laws applicable in Pakistan, exempted information covers the subjects of defence and security matters, commercial matters which can affect economy of the state and breach of privacy etc. Rest of the information can be acquired through RTI.

People’s access to information held by government departments is significant because a major part of government’ revenue is collected from the taxes paid by common people. Therefore, common people are the owners and it is their right to know that where the money is going and how is it being used? Government works for the benefit of public, so one way or another all the information that government holds is related to us.

It is unfortunate that the implementation of RTI Laws in Pakistan is not satisfactory. Despite of enacting strong and progressive RTI laws, implementation is a big question especially in the province of Balochistan and Sindh. On the other hand, federal government and provincial governments of KP and Punjab are making continuous efforts to properly implement their respective RTI laws.

Lack of awareness about social and political rights in Pakistan is the reason of failure of RTI regime. It is high time that government, media and civil society in Pakistan join hands to raise awareness about RTI among masses. Now, citizens of Pakistan should be enabled and empowered to call for their fundamental human right to know because.

Written by:
Syeda Raheela Bano (Guest Blogger)

Note: The views expressed by guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Pakvoter.

‘Right to Information’ (RTI) has been accepted as a fundamental human right by the United Nations. More than 123 countries have enacted RTI laws to facilitate their citizens with an easy access to government held information. This results in greater transparency, eradication of corruption, favoritism and nepotism in the system. In other words, the citizen’s right to information results in good governance.

RTI is a powerful instrument to fight against corruption. Good governance is characterized by political accountability, availability of freedom, bureaucratic accountability, availability of information, law abiding citizens and cooperation between government and society. Therefore, RTI is a natural corollary of good governance. Enactment of RTI laws paves way to an open and transparent form of government. In such systems every citizen has right to seek and receive information from government departments. Thus citizen can make administration more responsible and transparent leading to good governance.

Access to information is crucial for good governance as it reflects the activities of government.  If people do not know what is happening in their society, if the actions of those who rule them are hidden, then they cannot participate in the affairs of government.  Access to information not only promotes openness, transparency and accountability in administration but also facilitates active participation of people in the democratic governance processes. Moreover RTI is a powerful tool and its implementation ensures other rights already promised in the constitution.

In contemporary era, public participation in government matters, respect for  rule of law, freedom of expression and association, transparency and accountability, legitimacy of government, and the like which are the core values of good governance, can be materialized only if RTI is implemented in its true letter and  spirit.

Thus, it can be rightly mentioned that RTI is an agent of good governance and it makes administration more accountable to the people. It makes people aware of administration and gives them an opportunity to take part in decision making process. It reduces the chances of corruption and abuse of authority by public servants. Since RTI laws are enacted for people‘s interest, its success also depends upon how citizens exercise their right to know. Moreover, there is need of active participation from people,, civil society groups, government officials and departments to aware masses and raise demand for the implementation of RTI in Pakistan.

Written by:
Nabila Nazir (Guest Blogger)

Note: The views expressed by guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Pakvoter.

Being an informed citizen of Pakistan we should definitely have the information about national legal framework of the election laws and international standard which embark upon on our internal mechanism and serve as bench mark.
In order to analyze fairly, it is pertinent to have a start from the constitution first to know what it offers to its citizen. Do basic freedoms exist for exercise of fundamentals rights for citizen of Pakistan? Pakistan constitution 1973 covers protections for political and democratic rights for its citizens like freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of speech which mainly lays grounds for democratic culture in a country. Further constitution offers right of information to its citizens on all matters of public affairs and particularly state is responsible to treat all citizens on equality principle without any prejudice.

Regarding election conduct and appointment of election commissioner, constitution embarks through article 218 and 213 and offers democratic process amended by 2010 legislative body. Similarly Article 219 of the Constitution, under 18th Amendment, assigns the Election Commission with the responsibility of preparing electoral rolls and revising them annually as well as conducting elections to the Senate or filling up the vacant seats in the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. Further, the Commission can also appoint Election Tribunals to adjudicate upon post-election disputes and conduct local government election under newly amended articles.
Previously electoral laws were mostly amended by the military regimes with overwhelm intent to extend military rule, deter political course and to restrict working of political parties. Like Political Parties Order 2002, Conduct of General elections 2002, Allocation of election symbols 2002 etc. Though legal framework for electoral laws exist in country in bits and parts and needs to be reformed in consolidated manner; it must cover aspiration of democratic processes for political parties and transparent mechanisms for election conduct necessarily if country is proceeding towards democracy.

Ever since the war on terror began, Pakistan has been sufferring from the malaise of we cant do it. Its either we can’t meet our debts or we can’t combat these militants or we can’t fly a plane straight or we can’t take care of our own (floods 2010) The point being that negativity is at a full time high and the same mantra has been repeated again and again till is become ingrained in the back of all our minds.

So obviously when it was time for the elections this year the same old demons started rearing their heads. Initially it was hard enough getting all parties to agree on one leadership for the election commission but once Fakhruddin G Ebrahim was selected and put into place unity began to shine through the cracks of naysaying. Although the task in front of him seemed so monumental many doubted that the elections would ever take place.

Amidst desperate attempts by conspirators and talibans alike, with the background of bombs exploding and security on high alert the fact that we still managed to pull off Elections 2013 and with a 55% record turnout is nothing short of extraordinary.

Was it a perfect process though? Obviously not but what electoral process is perfect? There are gaps everywhere, some of those in the form of revoting in areas with ballot issues have already taken place and the rest are pending in the courts. By and large however all parties have accepted the mandate of the people and moved on. Why shouldn’t they? When the mandate itself seems to be completely at par with the national narrative at the moment.

For the future however the election commission needs to use more technology, even though the pictures of voters on forms this time next to names via NADRA was appreciable. Bio metric scanners need to be in place especially in districts where there is a history of electoral fraud to ensure further transparency in the electoral process. The media too needs to move beyond the drawing board scenario analysis and have exit polls which actually make any sense. Going on to announce who had won based on a 2% sample does not an exit poll make!

All being said and done, we have proven to ourselves that if there is political will a successful transition from one democracy to another is possible in this nation. Now we the people of Pakistan have to make sure that these transitions become a norm rather than a rare occurrence in the elections to come. For only through successful elections in the future can we be able to as a nation exercise our right of choice, so thank you ECP and please keep it up!

The views expressed by this guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the pakvoter.

Political finance refers to all sorts of funds that are utilized for various political purposes. Such purposes may cover election campaigns, political contests, policy development by parties, and training activities and so on and so forth. The reporting of political finance involves different sources of income and particular expenditure items, for instance, offices & staff, radio, TV, advertisements via print media, campaign material and opinion polls. The effective reporting of all categories of fund raised & spent is essential for a transparent political system but unfortunately, the current scenario is totally opposite. It is very awful to realize that corruption has plagued our beloved country since its inauguration. The worst part is that with the passage of time it has become a wide spread phenomenon and government of Pakistan failed to cut it down. Corruption is constantly becoming a matter of concern. It not only damages the social contact between government and its people but also a continuous threat to the integrity of the political parties of Pakistan. The core of corruption lies in embezzling the public funds that consequently leads to violation of human rights and puts democracy at risk. Through financial and political corruption, misuse of power and nepotism, the leaders are amassing extensive private fortunes while leaving their constituents in poverty. According to a report issued in 2012 by Transparency International Pakistan, the country has become more corrupt by achieving ranking number 33 from the previous 42. A total corruption of almost Rs. 12,600 billion is estimated in past five years.
Although there are multiple anti-corruption laws yet they have certain gaps and lacking in terms of implementation. The report by TI inscribes certain features of a powerful anti-corruption legislation must have following features:
A. Transparency legislation featuring following points:

Reporting of conflicts of interests;
Disclosure of assets by state officials and politicians (before & after appointment and annually during the appointment as well);
Freedom of information law- this information should be publically accessible.
B. Corruption Legislation featuring following points:

Defining the problem;
Ensuring whistle blowing protection legislation-that is meant to protect federal whistleblowers working for the government and reporting agency misconduct. This law is violated when any agency authority retaliate personal act against any employee due to that disclosure of information.
This simple legislation outline provides the basis for the effective implementation of the relevant laws in the political finance area. The transparency in political finance can be obtained via availability as well as accessibility of the disclosure information. Enhancing transparency in political finance system will be helpful in mitigating and illuminating the influence of illegal and corrupt practices. At the same time, it will benefit those who obey rules. Pakistan stands first in introducing right to information act in South Asian countries, however legislative bodies need to make legislation stronger followed by an effective implementation of these laws. Current legislation pitfalls have frustrated Pakistanis for too long. They are now looking forward for some positive changes in legislature for justice, rights, and security in their country. The political parties in Pakistan can work on existing framework of the political finance. Based upon international best practices, it can be further revised and improved and can help leading useful foundation for an effective legislature in our country.

The views expressed by this guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the pakvoter.

Civic education is also known as democracy education or citizen education and it broadly implies to the provision of learning experiences and knowledge to citizens in order to empower them to contribute effectively in the democratic mechanisms. The basic goal of this education is to support democratic as well as participatory governance. Civic education is manifested in many different forms including; classroom-based learning, experiential learning, informal learning & mass-media campaigns. It addresses a wide range of governance and political issues such as civic apathy/post-conflict reconciliation or corruption. In addition, it also takes social issues into account such as drug abuse, domestic violence etc. Overall, this field of study implies to civic knowledge, skills & disposition.
With specific reference to Election Day, the civic education in Pakistan has couple of major implications. First, it promotes participation of citizens in the electoral processes. It is observed generally that individuals who receive civic education, more actively participate in voting, legislation and policymaking, civil and political protests, problem solving initiatives for their community, election campaigns and accessing elected personnel. Second, students of civic education are considered to have sound knowledge about Pakistan and the basic features of its political system, structure & function of democratic bodies, civil/political rights and election timings. One of the most important aspects of civic education in Pakistan is voter education also referred to as electoral education. This type of education is imparted as a component of civic education and also in conjunction with electoral management bodies (EMB). This type of civic education is of immense importance in election context. It generally deals with the dissemination of materials, information, and programs designed to motivate and prepare individuals to participate fully in particular election process. It helps the individuals to understand more complex processes with reference to elections and highlighting significance & implications of voting, voting rights, human rights, roles, & responsibilities of voters, the conditions vital for democracy, and the relationship between democracy & elections. It also make them clear about the nature of electoral politics in Pakistan, eligibility criteria of electoral bodies, registration procedures, voting procedures or Election procedures in Pakistan.
Without civic and voter education, meaningful participation in an election process is not possible. If voters will be well aware of their rights & responsibilities, and legally valid procedures of casting ballots, the Election Day will become smooth and successful. Moreover, this education is crucial in regulating women participation in elections especially in under-developing & post-conflict countries where women do not use to play active role in elections. In this respect civic education can also play effective role by emphasizing equal rights of men and women. It can highlight the role women can play in national reconciliation and reconstruction if they possess knowledge and expertise and if they are given equal opportunities. The civic education must be equally accessible to both man & women. However, it should be ensured that during elections the government-sponsored Pakistan civic education or voter education must be accurate and neutral. It should not favor any particular party and should follow international best practices. The non-governmental bodies, media and local communities can make effective contributions in promoting civic education in election context while nourishing and strengthening all aspects of politics.

The views expressed by this guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the pakvoter.

Recently held elections in Pakistan saw massive criticism due to various rigging incidents in different constituencies of the country. Observers said that at least 10 percent – or 7,000 – polling stations were reportedly rigged to influence the voters. Bogus votes, pressurizing voters, in-availability of ballot boxes, papers and various other similar problems were reported in different parts of the country.
Experts are of the view that overall elections went well and there is no way of making election 100 percent fool-proof, especially at this magnitude and they are right. To be honest, the influence of political parties on the general people is strong, especially in a city like Karachi, that one belonging to political group only needs to go to a person and demand them to vote in favour of his party. This might not have happened in every area of Karachi but I have witnesses, who have openly said that people of certain party came to their homes and demanded vote, failing to do so they will have to face severe consequences in future.
Social media even now is filled with rigging videos that took place in certain polling stations of the country. Karachi wasn’t the only city affected by it. Cities of Punjab, Baluchistan and KPK also faced the same fate. Now the question that arises is that was the electoral system of Pakistan to be blamed for it? Was the system so weak that it could be manipulated so easily? Well, in my opinion, I wouldn’t blame the system. I think that the election commission of Pakistan did a decent job in making the elections free and fair. Then what went wrong? Well, people of Karachi know exactly what went wrong.
People in this city were aware of the threats that posed to the transparency of the elections. The hunger of power, political party who claims Karachi to be their own property was, in my opinion the main reason of rigged elections in Karachi. Besides that, in Karachi every political party has their own area and they did what they could in their area to get the maximum vote out in favour of their party and they succeeded. These political parties are so powerful and their hold is so strong that the election commission cannot do anything about it.
I blame the political parties for not following the electoral system. There power for hunger is so strong that no ethic or social value means anything to them and they will do everything in their power to win. And that is what they did. One thing that needs to be applauded here is the turnout of voters on the day of elections. Despite of the threats and the targeted bombings on campaigns of political parties prior to elections, the turnout was massive. According survey, the turnout ration was 60 to 65 percent compared to the 40 percent in 2008 elections.
The only positive thing that I can take out from these elections is the motivation of people to vote and use their right. The print and electronic media played its part. The role of social media in creating awareness about the elections, and campaigns like Pak Voter, have done an excellent job in spreading the word and getting people out of their homes to vote. The ratio might be low, but at least, this nation is awaking.
Way to go Pakistan!

The views expressed by this guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the pakvoter.

The 2013 elections in Pakistan brought to the fore old faces with new promises to change the country’s fate. The days leading to the elections saw a torrent of content being shared over the Internet and social media, with Facebook and Twitter in particular, becoming an online war zone between supporters of various parties. Now that the storm has settled and the parties have taken their seats in the National Assembly, people are looking forward to a better Pakistan as it is time to act and manifest the promises into action.

Over the years, social media has emerged as a Big Brother where all activities of politicians are shared over Facebook and people make comments to make the feedback look interesting, which stirs up a never-ending debate. However, the hype of following political leaders on social media is a trend, which is now declining as people are busy with their jobs and since elections is always a time of change; therefore, social media was abuzz until a few days after June 11.

Nevertheless, social media will continue to play its part as the media, which reveals all truths which print and electronic media hide beneath the pen and the camera. Social media has been monitoring political leaders but the intensity is not as same as before. Still, there are posts shared, comments made, and content liked on Facebook, which means that Pakistanis want social media to compel politicians to follow the decorum and fulfill their promises. Otherwise, one picture or video can stir up a viral humiliation of a politician.

The views expressed by this guest blogger and the comments given by any visitor do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the pakvoter.