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LODHRAN, Feb 24, 2010: Organization for Public Interest (OPI) organized a seminar on “The importance of CNIC & Voter Registration” at Al-falah Public School. The purpose of this seminar was to mobilize the community for getting their Computerized National Identity Cards and using their voting right for true democracy in the country. Primarily, the seminar was focused on women audience as the OPI believed, majority of women have no CNIC.

Talking to the seminar, Mian Wali Muhammad Kashif told that CNIC is essential document for a Pakistani national to get basic citizens’ rights. He told that CNIC is also required to cast a vote in all the elections. Mr. Kashif said that every Pakistani is responsible to cast his/her vote honestly for electing the most deserving representative.

Mr. Hasan Raza, the representative of the Election Commission of Pakistan, told that vote registration is very required for establishing a real democratic state. He said that ECP is going to launch a door-to-door voter registration campaign in coming weeks. He further told that a citizen can apply for vote registering by filing a copy of his CNIC along with a copy of most recent utility bill. Mr. Raza told, although old NIC is no longer valid however an old NIC holder can apply for vote registration by filing required documents along with an affidavit on Rs. 20 stamp paper.

Syed Zaigham Ali Shah, Mr. Gulfam Mustafa and Mirza Saleem Akhtar also discussed the importance of CNIC and voter registration. In the last session, the speakers replied to various questions raised by the participants. Most questions were related to procedures of obtaining a computerized national identity card and registering a vote. There were a total of 53 participants including 36 women who were directly benefited through this seminar.