The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) with financial assistance of UK Department for International Development (DFID), Embassy of Netherlands and the Asia Foundation (AF) has launched its 'Supporting Transparency, Accountability and Electoral processes in Pakistan' (STAEP) program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and FATA.
The program launching ceremony under the auspices of FAFEN in collaboration URDO, a non-governmental organisation was held here at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Wednesday. KP Minister for Information Iftikhar Hussein was chief guest. The speakers included Major (Retd) Baseer Khattak, chairman URDO Zaheer Khattak, PPP president Peshawar division Ayub Shah, Rashid Abdullah, senior program office FAFEN, members of civil society organisations, and people from different walks of life.
Rashid Abdullah presented a detail presentation about 'Supporting Transparency, accountability and Electoral processes in Pakistan' (STAEP) program. He said that the program will carry with financial support of UK DFID, and Embassy of Netherlands. Under the new phase of the program, the FAFEN will expand the scope of its existing work to 200 National Assembly constituencies in 120 districts of the country, including 35 constituencies in all districts of KP and nine constituencies in FATA.
He said that the program had been launched two years ago, aiming to strive for effective, transparent, and accountable governance to address key issues confronting the country. Another objective of the program is to develop multi-pronged strategy to enhance public engagement with elected, public, and political institutions.
He said the prime goal is to focus on electoral, parliamentary and governance oversight and reforms under to three year long program. He expressed hope that the program has been running effectively in 150 national assembly constituencies in 108 districts of the country to develop and facilitate constructive linkages between citizens and elected public representatives and institutions in more than 200 constituencies in the country.
Rashid stressed that the program is imperative for building public support as well as pressure for more responsive governance to meet diverse political, social, economic challenges confronting the country.
The KP Minister for Information underscored the need of transparent and accountable society, saying that the government had utilised foreign aid in fair and transparent manner received for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and flood affected people of the province.
He dispelled the baseless propaganda report of Transparency International (TI) and said that the organisation had collected data from Hazara division during rising tension in the area. He said the government has kept accountability and transparency norms high in the province.
Regarding the 18th constitutional amendments, he said the province has become more empowered after the unanimous resolve long pending issue of NFC award and autonomy with political consensus. He expressed hope that the KP government has taken steps to meet growing energy demand in the province. He said that about seven hydel generation projects have been pipeline in the province, out of which two schemes would be functional in next month.
About the growing strained US-Pakistan ties, he called for removal of all misperceptions among frontline allies of War against terrorism. He expressed fear that the counter-terrorism efforts will be hampered in escalating tension between both the allies' states.
Baseer Khattak said that there was loophole in the existing system and society, which would be addressed through such program initiated by FAFEN in the country. He said that the collective approaches and contribution are vital to bring reforms in the society.
Ayub Shah said that electoral system in very weak in the country, and added that the Election Commission of Pakistan has yet to compile electoral lists of last general elections. He called for free and independent election commission in the country. He stressed the need of drastic changes in existing system of the country. Other speakers suggested strengthening and empowerment of district development committee (DDC) for strict monitoring of essential commodities prices in the province. He asked the FAFEN to devise a mechanism to contain growing prices of daily usage items.