In summer of 2006, Election Commission of Pakistan started work of re-preparing electoral rolls of Pakistan. It was first time ever after 1988 that the commission was seeking to prepare the rolls a fresh. Not only this, but with funding from some foreign development agencies, the commission have computerized electoral rolls for the first time ever in over 6 decade history of the country. It is expected that the computerized voters’ list would reduce the chances of duplicate entry and would ensure accuracy and completeness of the electoral roll.

The commission has exhibited the draft electoral roll across the country by establishing 45203 display centers. Eligible voters, those citizens who age 18 years on or before January 1, 2007, can go to check their names in electoral rolls, register their voters, file forms for corrections in details or file an objection over certain registered voters. This is really a great moment in Pakistan. But surprisingly, as matter of fact, the majority of Pakistani people are disillusioned and disconnected from political processes due to their mistrust on government and their political leaders, there has been very low turn out in the display centers.

An indigenous civil society network, Free and Fair Elections Network (FAFEN) which comprises over 30 NGOs, is observing the display period. It has placed 750 observers across 110 districts of the country to check accuracy and completeness of the new electoral rolls and observe the process. As per their findings, a majority of display centers are found closed or non-functional. FAFEN’s member NGOs are also mobilizing and transporting eligible voters to display centers in almost 65 districts of country.

However, almost all mainstream political parties have shown their mistrust in the new computerized owing to the fact that there are only 53 million people registered in the new roll whereas up till 2002 general elections, there were 73 million registered voters.

Last night I was reading a draft survey report, done by a local media representative in interior Sindh’s rural areas. I was really shocked to know that in many villages and other areas of Tharparkar, Matyari, and Hyderabad districts there are so many people affected by MDR-TB. The survey revealed that the disease is spreading in Sindh at a very fast pace and hence could become very dangerous for people of Sindh in future.

I feel really sad to mention here that despite the rapid spread of the disease, there are now government provided facilities for providing treatment for the disease. In entire Pakistan there are only two private hospitals that provide treatment to MDR-TB patients but due to lack of resources they can only treat a limited number of Patients. Moreover, as they are located in Karachi and Lahore, most of the rural people cannot afford to even access them due to poverty. Even otherwise, most of the people affected by the disease are poor and live from hand to mouth, so it is really difficult for them afford treatment for TB in any way.

Moreover, government has not even felt the responsibility to conduct a survey on ascertaining the number of MDR-TB patients in the country; so it is really difficult to tell the exact number of TB patients in Sindh. However, from the writers’ interaction with doctors, paramedical staff, TB patients and other people in different parts of Sindh, he could infer that there could be thousands of people affected by the disease in Sindh alone.

Pakistani government is running a National TB Program but it has no facilities to provide treatment to MDR-TB patients. Hence, there is need of starting a MDR-TB program separately.