For free and fair general elections 2018, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed the process to purchase biometric voting machines. Secretary ECP Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad informed this to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday. Reviewing the audit reports of the ECP for year 2013-14, the committee grilled the ECP over irregular spending of Rs 160 million on procurement of magnetised ink. Syed Khursheed Shah chaired the committee meeting.
Responding to Dr Arif Alvi's question, the Secretary said the Commission would complete the trial of Biometric System by December 2016. Another Member Junaid Anwar Chaudhry suggested to the Commission to finalise arrangements for next elections well before time in case the bio-metric machines are used in elections.
Quoting the former chairman NADRA Tariq Malik's statement before the Judicial Commission constituted to probe alleged rigging in general elections 2013 that use of magnetised ink could not ensure 100 percent accuracy, Secretary ECP said that the Commission may not use magnetised ink in General Elections 2018. He maintained that magnetised ink was also not used in by-elections.
Regarding registration of new voters, secretary ECP said that during last one year 4.8 million voters were registered and most of them were registered in the metropolitan cities. The committee was informed that Rs 37 billion was disbursed under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) without approval from the BISP Board. Secretary BISP Yasmin Ahmed informed the committee that consultants were hired for formulation of rules of business of the Board.
The committee also examined that in violation of rules of BISP, contract for disbursement of BISP amount among applicants were awarded to six commercial banks. The committee warned the BISP management to adopt PPRA rules while awarding such contracts. Later, the committee on implementation of PAC held under Rana Afzaal directed PAC Secretariat to write letter to Pakistan Muslim League (N) Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan for recovery of Rs 0.177 million.
Secretary Ministry of Labour and Manpower Khizar Hayat informed the committee that the Ministry paid government perks and privileges till October 1999 to an Advisor of the Ministry, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, whose contract expired in May 5, 1999. The Advisor had said he was not paying the arrears despite repeated requests.