Voter Education Campaign

2008

Activity Report
By
Nisar A. Brohi

By:
Introduction
Sangat Development Foundation (SDF) is not for profit and
non- governmental organization launched with its mission to
work for sustainable socio-economic development and
political education and awareness working closely with all
stakeholders of society. SDF has also been working with
vulnerable and marginalized communities especially of the
remote ad backward rural areas to bring about a sustainable
socio-economic change in their lives through capacity
building and education awareness.
SDF has taken a number of community-based capacity building
and awareness initiatives, including seminars on different
issues confronting the downtrodden in remote and backward
areas.

SDF is also member of District Advisory and Coordination

Committee, WWF-Indus for all program of Nawabshah District.

Key activities undertaken by SDF

Seminars
Child Health and Nutrition
Child Rights and Role of Civil Society, Supported By
Plan International and District Govt Nawabshah
Education for all in 2015: The Challenges, Supported
by UNESCO, Islamabad
Human Caused Biodiversity Loss and Climate Disruption
Education for All and Role of Civil Society, Supported
by Sindh Rural Support Program (SRSP)
Campaign on CCBs Formation and Mobilization
Held Three Medical Camps in Remote Areas of Nawabshah
District, Supported by Taluka Govt Daur, District
Nawabshah

Reports

Child Condition in Nawabshah District

Rural Schools Condition In Nawabshah District
Environmental Threats to Human Lives: A Case Study

Establishment of Computer Centre

Establishment of Computer Centre with the supported of
Kalia Group Karachi, for Skill Development of Local
Youth at 68 mile Nawabshah
Project Completed

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Voter Education Campaign 2008
 Voter Education campaign in District Nawabshah
Collaboration with Participatory Development
Initiatives (PDI) Supported by UNDP and Election
Commission of Pakistan.

Project under implementation

TB awareness program in Taluka Daur District Nawabshah
Support by The Asia Foundation (TAF)

Publication
Publishing Quarterly Newsletter

Voter Education Campaign Project

SDF collaboration with Participatory Development
Initiatives (PDI) and
supported by UNDP and "We electors have an
Election Commission of important constitutional
Pakistan, Launched Voter power placed in our hands:
Education campaign in we have a check upon two
District Nawabshah during branches of the
the elections 2007-08. The legislature, as each branch
main purpose of this has upon the other two; the
campaign was to educate the power I mean of electing at
common people regarding the stated periods, one branch,
importance of their vote in which branch has the power
the elections, which was of electing another. It
held on 18th February 2008 becomes necessary to every
throughout the country. subject then, to be in some
The district level seminar degree a statesman: and to
was organised at Teachers examine and judge for
Resource Centre (TRC) Hall himself of the tendencies
Nawabshah. The seminar was of political principles and
addressed by Masood A. measures"

"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it
be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just
men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of government depends
on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place
unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be
made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or
incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will
be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or
disregarded. If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and
happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect
bad men to make and administer the laws"

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Voter Education Campaign 2008
Jamali, Project Director, Quiad Awam University for
Engineering and Technology (QUEST) Nawabshah, Sher Muhammad
Shar, Chairman Nawabshah Social Development Coalition
(NSDC), Nisar A. Brohi, Director SDF, Mumtaz Mangi, Manager
WWF. A large number of civil society activists,
intellectuals and writers and common people attended the
seminar.
The speakers said Pakistan is at its cross roads,
therefore, it is now major responsibility of all voters
they should
fully
participate
in forth
coming
elections
and elect
honest and
committed
leadership,
with a view
to bring
about
socio-
economic
and
political sustainability and save the country from looming
external as well as internal threats.
They further said, the people should first look well to the
characters and qualifications of those whom they supposed
to elect and raise to offices and places of trust. Because,
nothing is more "Should things go wrong at any
essential to the time, the people will set them
establishment of manners to rights by the peaceable
than that all persons exercise of their elective
who are elected to the rights"
echelon of powers and
trust should be persons of unexceptional characters
They appealed to the voters that they should play their
paramount important role in electing capable and committed
assembly members in order to strengthen the democratic
fabrics of the country.
They recalled that the nations have oftenly confronted with
such kind of critical socio-economic and political
conditions in the history and things go wrong at any time,

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Voter Education Campaign 2008
but it is the people will set them to rights by the
peaceful exercise of their elective rights.

They further said that until and unless we all would not
let our principles be our guide in selecting men for office
and legislative assemblies, rather keeping in mind his sect
and denomination of the
candidates, it would be "The elective franchise, if
difficult to have guarded as the ark of our
socio-economic safety, will peaceably dissipate
development and all combinations to subvert a
prosperity as well as Constitution, dictated by the
political stability in wisdom, and resting on the will
the country. of the people" and “The rational
and peacable instrument of
It is therefore; all reform, the suffrage of the
citizens of the country people".
should realize their
due responsibility and caste their votes in electing
capable and honest candidates as the democratic foundations
of the country could be cemented and made strong.
The Taluka level seminar of taluka Daur was organised at
Union Council Hall Gupchani. The seminar was addressed by
Mr. Ali Akbar Jamali, Ex-Taluka Nazim Nawabshah, Mr.
Muhammad Qasim
Brohi, Senior
Political
Activist, Nisar
A. Brohi,
Director SDF,
Mr. Khan
Muhammad
Khokhar, Local
Social Activist,
Mr. Noor Brohi,
Journalist. A
large number of
civil society
activists,
intellectuals
and writers and
common people attended the seminar.
In this presidential speech, Mr. Jamali said people should
express their free will when casting their votes in the
election 2008, keep in view the national and local
interests rather than supporting the feudal bent of mind

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Voter Education Campaign 2008
people who have always deceived the common masses time and
again.
He further said that until and unless the people would not
held accountable the politicians, socio-economic change is
not possible in the lives and also in their coming
generations. So, the common masses should realize their
role and not only bring about betterment in their lives but
also to have safe and secure place for their coming
generations.
Senior political activist Mr. Qasim Brohi while speaking on
the occasion said our nation has been facing
multidimensi
"Look well to the characters and
onal
qualifications of those you elect and raise
problems due
to office and places of trust"
to the ill
policies and
planning of the so-called political leaders in Pakistan.
So, now time has come for the people of Pakistan to show
their responsibility to elect capable and sincere
leadership
their vote
power as the
so called
political
leadership
should be get
realized the
bottlenecks.
While speaking
in the
seminar, Nisar
A. Brohi,
Director SDF
said SDF is
community
based
organization
always making
efforts to raise awareness among the backward and remote
areas as to capable and get them understand the socio-
political development in Pakistan and also around the
world. It is time the common people should realize their
power and strength and to be involved in the decision
making cadre of Pakistan. They have been sidelined from
the entire decision making process.

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Voter Education Campaign 2008
He further said that the Importance of One Vote In
1645, one vote "Let each citizen remember at the
gave Oliver moment he is offering his vote that
Cromwell he is not making a present or a
control of compliment to please an individual--
England. In or at least that he ought not so to
do; but that he is executing one of
1714, one vote the most solemn trusts in human
placed King society for which he is accountable
George I on the to God and his country. "
throne of
England and restored the monarchy. In 1868, one
vote in the U.S. Senate saved President Andrew
Johnson from impeachment. In 1875, a one-vote
margin changed France from a monarchy to a
republic.

"In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the
particular sect or denomination of the candidate--look to his character" and
also "When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses
his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor, he
betrays the interest of his country"

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Voter Education Campaign 2008