The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) conducted a one-day orientation and study visit for 42 newly-appointed Assistant Election Commissioners (AECs) and Research Associates (RAs) at the Office of the Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab, in Lahore. The programme was part of the ECP's quarterly training initiative.
Senior Officials Attend Training Programme
Director General Training Nighat Siddique, along with other senior officials from the ECP headquarters in Islamabad, attended the programme. Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab Sharif Ullah welcomed the participants and delivered a comprehensive briefing on the organisational structure of the ECP in Punjab, preparation and revision of electoral rolls, delimitation for local government elections, voter awareness programmes, the complaint redressal mechanism, and the responsibilities of various wings of the provincial office.
Visit to Central Police Office Lahore
The participants also visited the Central Police Office (CPO) in Lahore, where Additional Inspector General (Operations) Sarfraz Virk briefed them on law and order and security arrangements during elections. They were given a tour of the modern Election Control Room established at the CPO, which monitors election security.
Session at PILDAT
Later, the officers visited the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT). Its founder, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, briefed the participants on the organisation’s role in promoting and strengthening democracy in Pakistan, including legislative development and transparency initiatives.
Conclusion and Acknowledgements
At the conclusion of the programme, ECP Director General Training Nighat Siddique thanked Provincial Election Commissioner Sharif Ullah, the Punjab Police, and Ahmed Bilal Mehboob for facilitating the orientation and study visits. The training aimed to equip the new officers with practical knowledge of electoral processes and security coordination.
