2013 GENERAL ELECTION Observation and Analysis of PRE-ELECTION PROCESSES June 2014 Free and Fair Election Network www.fafen.org 324.65 FAF Free and Fair Election Network 2013 General Election: Observation and Analysis of Pre-Election Processes Islamabad: FAFEN, 2014 156p. ISBN: 978-969-9657-14-6 1. Election monitoring. (2) Elections - Pakistan-2013. (3) Pakistan - Politics and government- 2013. I. Title. All rights reserved. Any part of this publication may be produced or translated by duly acknowledging the source. 1st Edition: June 2014. Copies 2,000 FAFEN is governed by the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA) TDEA-FAFEN Election Observation Secretariat: House 145, Street 37, F-10/1 Islamabad, Pakistan Email: [email protected] Website: www.fafen.org ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The scope and magnitude of the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) election observation effort required “all hands on the deck” before, on and beyond Election Day. The network is fortunate and proud to boast a team that collectively rose to the challenge. This report is the culmination of their hard work, perseverance and resourcefulness. In addition to a team of 366 district and constituency based long-term observers, more than 40,000 Election Day male and female observers were mobilized, trained and managed by extremely hardworking and committed staff of FAFEN member organizations. In addition, the entire staff at the TDEA-FAFEN Secretariat worked round the clock to make the election observation effort a success. TDEA-FAFEN Chief Executive Officer Muddassir Rizvi and Director of Programmes Rashid Chaudhry deserve special mention, along with their incredible team, including Fatima Raja, Rashid Abdullah, Raffat Malik, Khan Bahadur, Faisal Khanzada, Taha Ceen, Haseeb Mirza, Zauq Raja, Muhammad Shehzad, Akram Khurram, Nazar Naqvi, Asif Rasool, Israr Ahmad and Ashley Barr. They worked tirelessly to design FAFEN's observation methodologies and to implement multiple, complex and time-sensitive trainings for all FAFEN election observers. FAFEN's success also would not have been possible without the extraordinary effort by Syed Abdul Ahad, Sundas Umer and their team, who worked long hours to secure accreditation of FAFEN's observers by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Safia Zain deserves a special mention as well for her work on finding the legal framework required for different parts of the report. The tremendous amount of data received as a result of this unprecedented initiative has been managed and analyzed into insightful findings and recommendations for election reforms by Director Election Oversight, Research and Reforms Sahibzada Saud. He was supported by FAFEN's data management team, led by Ch. M. Yasser Javed with assistance from Asma Bibi, Ibrahim Mughal, Shahid Zaidi and a host of data entry officers, who laid the foundation for the analysis. The contribution of GIS expert Adeel Arif helped realize the goal of mapping constituencies and plotting variables on regional maps. The report writing and editing unit, which was led by Usama Zafar and included Kamran Aziz and Mohsin Shayan, crafted the narration of this report and helped see it through three drafts. This list of key contributors would not be complete without mentioning the talented FAFEN report designer Hammad Hussain. TDEA-FAFEN appreciates the generous financial support of the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID), the European Union (EU), the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) and The Asia Foundation (TAF). In addition, TDEA-FAFEN wishes to acknowledge the Election Commission (ECP) for allowing Pakistan's largest citizen observation of an election, setting a new benchmark for election transparency in Pakistan. Zaheer Khattak, Chairperson TDEA-FAFEN Board of Trustees Trustees: Faiz-ur-Rehman Mashal Mukhtar Javed Sarwar Bari Zaheer Khattak Ghaffar Shah Nasrullah Shakir Ishaq Zahid Islam Maimoona Noor Owais Aslam Ali Syed Shah Nasir Khisro Zubair Ambia Mossarat Qadeem Sadiqa Sallahuddin Younas Bandhani Implementing Partners § Association for Creation of § Centre for Peace and Development § PAIMAN Alumni Trust Employment (ACE) (CPD) § PATTAN Development Organization § § All Women's Advancement and Centre for Peace and Development § Forum for Human Rights Pakistan Resource Development (AWARD) Initiatives (CPDI) (FHRP) § § Awaz Foundation Pakistan-Centre for Center for Research and Development § SANGAT Development Foundation Development Services (CRD) § Strengthening Participatory § § Baanhn Beli DEVCON-An Association for Rural Organization (SPO) § Development BEDARI § SUDHAAR § § Goth Seengar Foundation (GSF) Basic Education for Awareness § SUNGI Development Foundation Reforms and Empowerment (BEFARe) § Indus Resource Centre (IRC) § Takhleeq Foundation § CAVISH Development Foundation § Integrated Regional Support Program § United Rural Development § (IRSP) Community Awareness Raising and Organization (URDO) Advocacy Ventures Around Needs § Khwendo Kor § Youth Organization (CARAVAN) § LEGEND Society § Community Development Program § Punjab Lok Sujag (CDP) ABBREVIATIONS AHTP Awami Himayat Tehreek Pakistan NPP National Peoples Party AJIP Awami Jamhuri Ittehad Pakistan NPP-WG National People Party Worker Group AMLP Awami Muslim League Pakistan PAI Pakistan Awami Inqalab ANP Awami National Party PAmP Pakistan Aman Party APML All Pakistan Muslim League PAP Pakistan Awami Party APP Azad Pakistan Party PAT Pakistan Awami Tehreek AQM Afgan Qomi Movement (Pakistan) PATI Pakistan Awami Tehrik-e-Inqilab AQP Awami Qiadat Party PDP Pakistan Democratic party ARO Assistant Returning Officer PIJP Pakistan Islami Justice Party AWP Awami Workers Party PIT Pakistan Ittehad Tehreek BNAP Bahawalpur National Awami Party PJP Pakistan Justice Party BNC Balochistan National Congress PkMAP Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party BNDP Balochistan National Democratic Party PMKP Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party BNM Balochistan National Movement PML Pakistan Muslim League BNP Balochistan National Party PML-F Pakistan Muslim League (F) BNP-A Balochistan National Party (Awami) PML-H Pakistan Muslim League Haqiqi CPM Christian Progressive Movement PML-J Pakistan Muslim League (J) CPP Communist Party of Pakistan PML-M Pakistan Muslim League-Muttahida DCO District Coordination Officer PML-N Pakistan Muslim League (N) DEC District Election Commissioner PML-S Pakistan Muslim League (S) DPO District Police Officer PML-Z Pakistan Muslim League(Z) DRO District Returning Officer PNDP Pakistan National Democratic Party HAIP Hazara Awami Ittehad Pakistan PNML Pakistan National Muslim League HDP Hazara Democratic Party PNP Punjab National Party HQM Hazara Qaumi Mahaz PPM Pakistan Patriotic Movement IIP Islami Inqalab Party PPPP Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians IND Independent PPP-S Pakistan Peoples party(Sherpao) IPM Istehkaam-e-Pakistan Movement PPP-SB Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto) IRP Islamic Republican Party PQL Pakistan Qaumi League ITP Islami Tehreek Pakistan PQP Pakistan Qaumi Party JI Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan PST Pakistan Sunni Tehreek JQM Jamote Qaumi Movement PTI Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf JUI Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (Fazl-ur-Rehamn) PWP Pak Wattan Party JUI-S Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (Sami-ul-Haq) PWrP Pakistan Workers Party JUP-Niazi Jamiat Ulma-e-Pakistan (Niazi) QAT Qomi Awami Tehreek JUP-NS JamiatUlema-e-pakistan(Nifaz-e-Shariat) QIP Qaumi Inqilab Party JWP Jamhoori Wattan Party QJP Qaumi Jamhoori Party KJPP Kakar Jamhoori Party Pakistan QWP Qaumi Watan Party KMP Karwan-i-Millat Pakistan RO Returning Officer LPP Labour Party Pakistan SIC Sunni Ittehad Council MBMP Mutahida Baloch Movement Pakistan SSMP Seraiki Sooba Movement Pakistan MDM Mutahida Deeni Mahaz ST Sunni Tehreek MJUP Markazi Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan STP Sindh Taraqqi Passand Party MMA Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan SUP Sindh United Party MQM Muttahidda Qaumi Movement TI Tehrik-e-Istaqlal MQMP Mohajar Qaumi Movement Pakistan TIP Tehreek-e-Istehkaam Pakistan MQP Mutahidda Qabil Party TIUP Tehreek-e-Ittehad Ummat Pakistan MWMP Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan TM Tehrik-e-Masawaat NA National Alliance TPP Tameer-e-Pakistan Party NMP Nizam-e-Mustafa Party TSH Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara NP National Party TTP Tehreek-e-Tahaffuze Pakistan TABLE OF CONTENTS KEY FINDINGS 5 OBSERVATION METHODOLOGY 9 1 ELECTORAL ROLLS 11 1.1. Computerized Electoral Rolls: Key Features and Issues 13 1.2. Provision of Electoral Rolls to Candidates/Parties 18 1.3. Electoral Rolls: Political Parties' Perspectives 18 2 CANDIDACY PROCESSES 21 2.1. Nominations, Scrutiny and Challenges 25 2.2. Candidates' Features: Regional and Party-wise Trends 26 2.3. NTN Status: Candidates by Party and Region 28 2.4. Female Candidates: Distribution by Party and Region 29 2.5. Candidate Analysis: Shifting Loyalties and New Entrants 31 3 POLLING SCHEME 37 3.1. Coordination with Stakeholders 41 3.2. Candidates' Perspectives 41 3.3. Average Voters per Polling Booth 43 3.4. Deployment of Polling Personnel 46 4 CODE OF CONDUCT: IMPLEMENTATION AND VIOLATIONS 49 4.1. Coordination with Stakeholders 55 4.2. Candidates' Perspectives 55 4.3. Violations of Code of Conduct 57 5 ELECTION SECURITY AND INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE 65 5.1. Security Arrangements 67 5.2. Satisfaction of Stakeholders with Security Measures 69 5.3. Violence Incidents Claimed by Political Parties 70 5.4. Observed Incidents of Violence and Intimidation 73 6 ELECTION ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 83 6.1. Capacity and Resources for Election Management 87 6.2. General Coordination with Key Stakeholders