In a pivotal move towards the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed printing 260 million ballot papers, covering all 859 constituencies of the National and Provincial Assemblies. This development marks a significant milestone in the preparation for the upcoming electoral process.
ECP spokesperson Syed Nadeem Haider confirmed that distributing these ballot papers to district returning officers (DROs) is nearly complete, with only a few districts pending delivery, which is expected to conclude today (Monday). The increase in the number of ballot papers, from 220 million in the 2018 general elections to 260 million, reflects a significant rise in candidates.
Efficient Management and Logistics
The printing process, which began on January 14th and concluded on February 3rd, witnessed the ECP navigate through challenges, including a 195 percent increase in the demand for special security paper. Despite this surge, strategic management efforts reduced paper use from an anticipated 2,400 tonnes to 2,170 tonnes. This efficiency underscores the ECP’s commitment to environmental stewardship and resource management.
The intricate distribution of ballot paper formats—ranging from single-column to five-column layouts—has been designed to accommodate the diverse structure of constituencies. Moreover, the differentiation between National Assembly ballots, printed on green paper, and Provincial Assembly ballots, on white paper, facilitates ease of identification for voters and officials alike.
