The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has asked National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to develop software which would enable the online scrutiny of nomination papers filed by potential candidates ahead of the upcoming general elections.
In a meeting, presided by ECP chief Sardar Mohammad Raza, it was decided to get software developed which would link the data available with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
It is reportedly for the first time that FIA has been made a part of the election scrutiny process.
It is expected that up to 30,000 candidates will file their nomination papers for the 2018 elections, as compared to 26,000 who filed for 2013 polls of which around 10,000 were rejected.
The ECP had tried to develop a central automated online system for scrutiny of nominations papers before the 2013 polls. However, the idea to effectively screen out tax evaders, loan defaulters, beneficiaries of written off loans and convicts could not bore fruit at that time.
