ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday decided to airlift ballot papers to Balochistan and KP given the deteriorating law and order situation.
According to ECP officials, the electoral watchdog has planned the printing of 260 million ballot papers for the general elections 2024.
Under the plan, the printing of ballot papers for Balochistan’s constituencies has been completed, while 90pc printing work for KP and Punjab and seventy percent of ballot papers printing for Sindh province have been completed.
The official sources informed the printing of ballot papers for three NA seats from Islamabad will begin on Friday (tomorrow).
As per the electoral watchdog’s plan, the ballot papers to Gwadar, Panjgur, Kecch, Kharan, Bajaur, and Kurram will be transported via C-130 and helicopters.
The country is scheduled to go to general election to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces on February 08.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had announced the election schedule on December 15. The election will be held on 336 seats of the lower house and a party that wins at least 169 seats will be eligible to form the next government of the country.
Reduced size of ballot papers
Meanwhile, the ECP decided to reduce the size of the ballot paper for the upcoming election.
In a high-level meeting convened to discuss the reprinting of ballot papers in certain constituencies, the ECP said that the decision to downsize the ballot paper was a response to the shortage of special security paper and time constraints.
The commission has decided that in areas where a reprint of ballot papers is deemed necessary, the printing process will commence only after the completion of the printing of ballot papers for all other Constituencies across the country.
The ECP discussed the challenges posed by the need to reprint ballot papers in some constituencies, particularly in obtaining the required special security paper and completing the printing process in a timely manner.
In 2018, a total of 800 tons were utilized for printing ballot papers.
However, the surge in the number of candidates in the 2024 elections has increased the requirement to a staggering 2400 tons.
“The availability of security paper for reprinting, coupled with the timely printing process, poses a significant challenge for the Election Commission,” the statement said.
