SAHIWAL-Around 923,827 citizens between 18 to 40 years of age have not yet been registered as voters in Sahiwal division, reveals a report.
Among such people, 577,093 are females who constitute 62 percent of the whole population, said a civil society organisation working to improve and enrol voters in the electoral list of Election Commission of Pakistan. The activists urged the political parties, civil society and other associations to run campaigns for registration of eligible persons as voters before the Local Government Elections.
During a media briefing, the representative of the non-profit organisation said that according to the Census Commission of Pakistan, the total estimated population of Sahiwal Division which comprises three districts Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan, till June 30, 2013 is 7,484,995 among which 3,592,061 are females.
The census report says among total population, the estimated adult population falling between the age of 18-40 is 4,334,530 in the division while 2,080,162 are females. The Election Commission of Pakistan's Final Electoral Roll 2012 says that a total of 3,410,713 citizens were enrolled as voters out of whom 1,503,070 are females in the division. It clearly indicates that 923, 827 citizens between 18-40 are yet to be registered as voters.
Ms Tanzeela Liaqat, the district coordinator of Lok Sujag, elaborated that 408,005; 216,484; and 299,338 citizens are among missing voters in district Okara, Pakpattan and Sahiwal respectively. She urged the political parties to start registration of missing voters.
Election Officer Alweera Rashid said that it was the responsibility of the civil society and the political parties to get these citizens registered with the ECP lists. "Political parties are main stakeholders and they should come forward to get these missed voters registered ahead of the local government elections.
Tanzeela Liaqat said that around 41 organizations in Pakistan had already started a district level campaign to enrol voters and this data sharing is part of the exercise to highlight the importance of vote.
TWO GANGS BUSTED: DPO Syed Khurram Ali has said that Kameer police had busted two gang involved in different incidents of robbery and theft. Police have arrested 8 members of two gangs, namely Saddique alias Saddiquee and Muhammad Ali alias goonga gang and recovered from them gold ornaments, cash, mobile phones and arms.
The police arrested Allah Rakha, Najeebullah, Ali Sher , Muhammad Ayub, Talib Hussain and Rashid and recovered from them large number of mobile phone , illicit arms, gold ornaments, cash worth lakhs of rupees. Further investigation is underway.