FOLDER - Countdown to Pakistan Elections, 10/10/2002

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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http://www.dawn.com/2002/09/22/top10.htm

PML-N vows to block mly takeovers: Manifesto issued

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 21: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Saturday announced its manifesto for the election pledging that it would block military takeovers in future through constitutional amendments.

The PML-N vowed that it would put the country on the path of democracy, self-reliance, prosperity, economic development and elimination of poverty.

It was stated in the manifesto that in order to rid the nation of devastating policies of the military regimes and tragedies like that of Dec 16, 1971, the party would block military takeovers.

The PML-N vowed that military law would be amended to restore obedience of lawful command and military’s honour and respect as an institution.

The defence budget barring classified items will be debated in the parliament, it stated.

The manifesto said services chiefs would be appointed by the president on the advice of prime minister and the task of Military Intelligence would be confined to security and counter-terrorism.

The party criticized the 7-point agenda of the government saying that the gross domestic product growth rate had declined over the past three years, people were groaning under tax burden and price hike, law and order situation had deteriorated and tension had increased between the federating units.

It said the election was a defining moment in the country’s history to decide whether Pakistan would stand in the comity of nations as a progressive, civilised and democratic society or as a retarded and backward society arbitrarily run by the military.

The party said its principles of policy would be aimed at realising the founding vision of Pakistan through restoring economic growth, strengthening national institutions, establishing good governance, ensuring equitable access to economic opportunities and providing equal social services to all.

They PML-N pledged to break the elitist education system by creating equal opportunities, universal primary enrolment by 2005, launching a movement to raise literacy rate to 75 per cent by 2010, encouraging technical education and providing opportunities to the private sector.

Every child would be constitutionally entitled to get free primary education, the manifesto said.

It said four per cent of gross national product would be allocated for education by 2007 and the student-teacher ratio would be brought back to 1990-91 level by overcoming the deficit of 250,000 teachers.

The party promised to modernise teaching hospitals, ensure availability of life saving drugs at affordable prices, extend cardiac clinics and facilities at district hospitals, and more attention to EPI, TB and AIDS programmes. Senior citizens would get special health care facilities and free medical care would be provided to poor, it claimed.

The judicial system would be strengthened to award punishment to criminals within six months. Lower judiciary will be strengthened, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms would be evolved and discriminatory laws would be abolished, the manifesto said.

The party pledged to weed out terrorism and crime from the society by reforming the criminal justice system.

It vowed to provide jobs to the family members of civil servants who die in service and stipends for widows who have minor children and no means of livelihood. Senior citizens would enjoy discount on travel and services of pensioners would be utilised in literacy and other community projects.

The party said supremacy of the Constitution and parliament would be restored by making parliamentary institutions effective, accountable and responsive to the people. New political order of consultation with the opposition would be enforced, it said and agreed to the idea of a caretaker government before every general election.

The head of the accountability body would be appointed in consultation with the opposition, assets of political representatives and high officials would be declared as public record and freedom of information law would be enacted, the PML-N claimed.

It said salaries of public servants would be increased, district ombudsmen would be appointed, luxurious official residences and state land would be auctioned, bureaucracy would be depoliticized and use of information technology would be promoted. It said system for issuance of public, court, and personal documents would be overhauled to ensure delivery of copy within 24 hours.

The party pledged that humiliation of citizens would be declared an offence and phone tapping would be banned.

The manifesto said challenges facing Pakistan included economic recovery, restoration of confidence of investors, level playing field to businessmen and an enabling environment to eradicate corruption and alleviate poverty. It said it would revive Vision 2010 programme.

It said the PML-N would create Pakistan business council led by the prime minister with equal representation of public and private sector.

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Final group of EU long-term election observers arrives

ISLAMABAD: The second and final group of long-term observers arrived here on Saturday as part of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM).

The arrival of the 21-member group brings the total number of EUEOM long-term observers group to 43 from the 14 EU member states. The total number of mission members, including the nine-member core team, now stands at 52. Together with the core team, all the long-term observers will remain in the country until after the elections scheduled for October 10.

The first group of 22 long-term observers arrived a fortnight ago and was deployed at nine locations in all the four provinces. The new observers will undergo a three-day detailed orientation and training programme in Islamabad before being deployed in the provinces.

With their deployment, the EUEOM will have long-term observers covering 13 locations including Jhelum, Gujranwala, Mingora, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Islamabad.

The role of the long-term observers is to gather information through contacting politicians, non-governmental organisations and officials in their areas. The long-term observers report to a core team of Islamabad-based experts who have been working in the country since August 4. The mission will observe the entire electoral process, including preparations for the elections, the parties’ campaigns, polling-day activities, counting procedures and the aggregation of results.

Within days of the end of polling, the mission will send a preliminary report of its findings to EU headquarters, followed by a final report. The mission’s chief observer is European parliamentarian John Cushnahan who has already twice toured the country.

The EUEOM will be guided by seven criteria in reaching conclusion on the election process. These include the degree of impartiality shown by the Election Commission and election officials, the degree of freedom of political parties and candidates to organise, move, assemble and express their views publicly, the fairness of access to state resources made available for the election, the fairness of access for political parties and candidates to the media, in particular the state media, the manner in which registration of voters is conducted, any other issue concerning the essential freedom and fairness of the election and the conduct of polling and counting of votes.

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PPPP offers coalition to PML-N after polls

By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians has offered the PML-N to join hands even after the elections. In this connection, a meeting of the PPPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim and PML-N Raja Zafarul Haq is likely to be held within next few days.

The indication of having alliance of both the parties after the election was also indicated by the PPPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim while addressing a press conference here Sunday when asked a question.

During the press conference, when asked about the PPPP and PML-N alliance in future
Makhdoom said, “we may join hand together after the election.” According to sources, leaders of both the parties have finalised the groundwork for forming an alliance like Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) after the elections.

The sources said after elections the ARD would be converted into parliamentary alliance and those parties having presence in the parliament would also come in the fold. The sources indicated that name of the ARD would be changed according to the situation and if both the parties are in position to make the government then it could be converted into People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) and in case of emerging as the Opposition then it could be shaped as Grand Opposition Alliance.

However, sources said at the moment it was just an option, which was under discussion in both the parties. PPPP and PML-N were also discussing to join hands to build political consensus among all the leading political parties on a one-point agenda to ensure free and fair elections. In this regard, meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Muthaida Majlis Amal (MMA) and other parties, which apprehend government interference by indulging in pre-poll rigging, was on the cards.

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CEC asks police not to harass candidates

By Nasir Iqbal

ISLAMABAD, Sept 21: Chief Election Commissioner, Irshad Hasan Khan, on Saturday issued warning to the police to perform its duties justly and not to harass any contesting candidate.

The warning was given to the Inspectors General of Police throughout Pakistan, including Islamabad capital territory, with a direction to issue instructions to all the SHOs to perform their statutory duties justly, honestly, equitably and in accordance with the law.

The directions were issued on a complaint lodged by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) that the police was allegedly harassing its candidates and supporters.

While dealing with the complaint, the CEC has also invited the attention of all and sundry towards section 90 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, which suggests that the returning officer, assistant returning officer, presiding officer, assistant presiding officer, polling officer or any other officer or clerk performing a duty in connection with an election, or any member of a police force, will be guilty of an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 6 months, or a fine of Rs1,000, or both, if he, in the conduct or management of an election or maintenance of order at a polling station, persuades any person to give his vote, dissuades any person from giving his vote, influences in any manner the voting of any person or does any act calculated to influence the results of the election.

The acting secretary-general of the PPP Mian Raza Rabbani has accused the police of harassing party candidates at the behest of the government.

Meanwhile, the EC has also entrusted the complaint of Ahsan Iqbal, a candidate from NA-117 Narowal-III, to Justice Nasim Sikandar, an EC member, for the disposal of the case in accordance with the law.

Ahsan Iqbal has complained that the District Nazim Narowal was supporting the election campaign of his wife, Mrs Riffat Javed, who was also a candidate from the same constituency.

The EC order, issued on Saturday, stated that the District Nazim “has denied the allegations when a report was called from him.” However he conceded that his wife was in the run for the elections.

The EC has directed Mr Ahsan Iqbal, the complainant, Mr Javed Safdar Kahion, the district Nazim and his wife, Mrs Riffat Javed, to appear before the judge in his chamber at the LHC on Sept 24 at 12 noon.

The order stated: “To do complete justice in the matter it was necessary that an opportunity of being heard was provided to all the parties in the matter.”

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http://www.dawn.com/2002/09/23/top2.htm

Polls definitely on Oct 10: Musharraf

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Sunday he was willing to sign a certificate, if there was any, to confirm that the Oct 10 elections would be held as planned.

“I have said this 200 times that the elections would be held on schedule. I am now ready to sign a certificate, if there is one,” he said after distributing prizes on the conclusion of the COAS Championship at the Rawalpindi Golf Club.

“The election commission is following the time-table that has been set for them and there would be no rigging, the polls would be fair and transparent.”

“Claims of pre-poll rigging by some parties are all baseless.”

There is a lot of interest in Pakistan elections abroad and the European Union mission can send in as many monitoring teams as they like. “The elections would be completely fair.”

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http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/today/main/top12.htm

ARD ceases to exist

By Nazir Bhatti

LAHORE — The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) ceases to exist as the mainstream components, PPP and PML (N) have launched the election campaign turning their back to ARD’s struggle against military regime.

The ARD had announced a rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on September 6 last which was postponed by the Punjab chapter of the alliance and once September 15 and subsequently September 28 was fixed for the rally.
But it is learnt that the September 28 rally will not be held at the joint platform of the ARD.

It is also pertinent to mention that the PPP had already postponed its rally announced to be held on September 15 due to workers poor response.

The ARD parties’ differences erupted when the main alliance components refused to make adjustments with each other claiming clean sweep victory across the country. This is contrary to veteran politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan’s wish of making at least symbolic seat adjustments where office-bearers of both the parties are contesting. In this regard, he had also prepared two lists of opponent and joint candidates. According to the list, both the parties were to withdraw candidates against the office-bearers of the other party. While in the other list, common rivals of both the parties were to be contested jointly supporting strong candidates. Mian Azhar, Humayun Akhtar, Chaudhrys of Gujrat, Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri and other prominent PML (QA) leaders were included in this list.

The ARD parties had joined hands on a very precise agenda of restoration of democracy. At present, though both the PML (N) and PPP share common grievances of exiled leaderships dynamic political scenario has emerged. The ARD’s rival-turned-ally, former ruling parties have different aims and manifestos, and are contesting elections independently. Both the parties’ workers were opposed to any joint election arrangements, hence, ARD could not be converted into an election alliance, though it decided seat adjustments and prepared a code of conduct to be followed in the elections as well.

Now the ARD leadership is not sure of the alliance existence though Nawabzada Nasrullah says that the alliance objectives are yet to be achieved and to foil any future army attempt and role in politics unity and stability of the alliance parties was a must. Despite the fact that Nawabzada is keen to keep the ARD intact at all costs, he could not convince the PPP and PML (N) to hold joint meetings during the elections campaign.

It is learnt that the ARD President, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan had asked both the parties to follow the code of conduct which is being violated as leaders of the both the parties are issuing statements against each other.

“The transparent, fair and free elections will be held only if establishment’s constraints are removed and creation of sovereign and independent democratic institutions is ensured through struggle,” the Nawabzada was quoted by his close aides as saying.

It is learnt that the veteran politician, who provided shelter to the former exiled prime ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, when the government had been dubbing them as ‘corrupt and plunderers of national exchequer’, has been insisting the parties that they should pay their full attention to the struggle, and take steps for mounting pressure on military govt.

The PPP has not even withdrawn its weak candidate from NA-118 and NA-132 in support of the PML (N) candidates against Mian Azhar. Even PML(N)’s proposal of converting ARD into ASD, Alliance for Stability of Democracy under the leadership of Nawabzada has also not been so much hailed.

“No matter. It is a natural process. The umbrella organisations formed for the temporary purposes, ultimately, have to stand dissolved. The ARD has completed its tenure effectively and achieving its objectives, built up pressure on the govt for holding elections. The govt is holding elections under the ARD pressure. If the ARD components follow its joint declaration, there will be no need of another alliance making,” said an analyst.

It is obvious that with the start of election campaign, the ARD has ceased to exist and fighting between the political rivals even within the alliance, PPP-PML (N) has started, but it does not mean that the PPP is backing out of its democratic struggle at the ARD platform, a PPP leader commented when asked about end to the ARD struggle.

However, the ARD leaders believe that the alliance may re-emerge after the scene of election when the power politics assumed great importance.
“There will be no damage to ARD struggle as far as the struggle is concerned. We are here to stay against military government, till the restoration of democracy,” an ARD stalwart said.

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Reserved seats to prove bonus for parties

By Syed Faisal Shakeel

LAHORE: The reserved seats for minorities and women will prove a bonus for the parties, which would bag a good number of seats.

According to the government policy the reserved seats would automatically be delivered to political parties on the basis of their representation in assemblies. Few have criticised the policy, as most political parties are keeping a mum over the issue considering these seats a bonus.

A number of minority candidates wish to contest the polls independently and find themselves pushed to the wall as they are required to identify their platform in the shape of a party. Though their candidature has been approved, their participation in polls is possible only if they are linked to some party.

Women, not having the backing of a political party, feel stranded due to the condition. “That way I would have to keep the interest of my party supreme, ignoring my prime objective,” said a woman, belonging to an organisation on the condition of anonymity.

Many question the value of the vote of those who would enter assemblies through the reserved seats. They say such a mode would deprive their identity as a public representative. The lack of vote by assembly members would further undermine their credibility. It will be illogical to consider them equal while electing president or any other within assembly.

Talking to The News, former minorities minister J Salik said the government should allow the minority candidates to contest elections, independently. He said his son among several others has been allowed to contest polls but asked to tender the name of party.

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Elections 2002: NWFP snippets

By Rahimullah Yusufzai

PESHAWAR: Elections 2002 in the NWFP continue to throw up titbits that are worth sharing.

a. Sardar Hussain Babak is the only journalist, contesting elections from the province. He is the ANP candidate from PF-77 Buner. The 27-year-old Babak was drafted into the contest when his uncle, Muhammad Karim Babak, found himself disqualified due to the graduation condition. Karim Babak had twice won election as MPA and also served as a provincial minister. The younger Babak, who has done his Masters in Journalism, worked at The Frontier Star, a small Peshawar daily, before taking up a job at Radio Asia’s Dubai-based Pashto service in the United Arab Emirates. His elder brother, Shamim Shahid, is a known Frontier journalist. Babak’s main rival in the election is stated to be Jamshed Khan, fielded by Aftab Sherpao’s PPP and backed by former MPA and candidate from NA-18 Buner, Sher Akbar. Other contestants are PPPP’s Badiuzzaman, PPP dissident Ahmad Khan, NAPP’s Muhammad Inam, and the PML-QA’s Saiful Malook. The last-named is related to the Babaks.

b. Syed Iftikhar Hussain Gilani, former federal minister and PML-QA candidate from NA-14 Kohat, has been telling voters that his party upon coming to power would generate several hundreds of thousands jobs. This must be music to the ears of millions of jobless people in the Frontier. But it is unlikely the electorate would take this promise seriously. Gilani also needs to explain the magic formula under which so many jobs would be created to reassure the sceptics among the unemployed.

c. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leadership is putting concerned Muslim voters in a difficult position by describing the elections as a fight between Islam and “Kufr”. In fact, the MMA candidates are challenging the voters to make a choice now after having complained in the past elections that they were unable to choose between various brands of Islam propagated by rival Islamic groups. The ball, according to MMA nominees, was in the court of the electorate because the six major religious parties had come together for the first time and were contesting the polls under one flag, symbol and manifesto. They say this should make the job of the voters easy and enable them to choose between the believers and non-believers. The MMA contestants are also terming the elections as a contest between anti-US and pro-West political forces in the country. There is surely strong anti-US sentiment in Pakistan but it isn’t going to be easy for the MMA to tap all those votes.

d. A tussle has also started as to which party and politician is more qualified to speak for Pakhtun rights. The ANP considers it its right to champion the Pakhtun cause and party leaders, particularly Begum Nasim Wali Khan, are critical of Aftab Khan Sherpao for talking about Pakhtun rights to win some extra votes in the elections. NAPP founder Ajmal Khattak is another vocal advocate of Pakhtun rights even though his efforts to displace the ANP as the main Pakhtun nationalist party have yet to bear fruit. The Pakhtun politicians in the MMA, such as Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Maulana Samiul Haq, spare no opportunity to criticise the ANP for abandoning the Taliban, who were overwhelmingly Pakhtun and befriending the US. All this has put the common Pakhtuns in a quandary as they struggle to differentiate between friends and foes.

e. Mansehra politicians Habibur Rahman Tanoli and Sakhi Muhammad Tanoli have passed on their electoral rivalry to their children. Habibur Rahman, serving jail sentence after his conviction in a NAB corruption reference has fielded his daughter, Ghazala Habib, from the NWFP Assembly’s PF-57 Mansehra constituency. Sakhi Muhammad, who has been winning and losing from the constituency to Habibur Rahman, put up his son, Naeem Tanoli, after falling victim to the graduation condition. The younger generation of Tanolis appears determined to continue confronting each other in elections even after the eviction of the older Tanolis from the electoral arena.

f. Ghazala Habib isn’t the only female candidate in the elections from Hazara. In fact, there are comparatively more women candidates for general seats in Hazara than rest of the province.

The other two in the race are Shamim Akbar Seemi of late Omar Asghar Khan’s Qaumi Jamhoori Party from PF-44 Abbottabad and Bibi Nargis Ali of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf from PF-54 Mansehra. Of the three, Ghazala Habib, is the only one with a realistic chance of winning on account of some good work done by her jailed father in the constituency.

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http://www.dawn.com/2002/09/24/top6.htm

Govt asked to provide security to observers

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: The Chief Election Commissioner on Monday “directed” the federal and provincial governments to provide security to the international observers in the forthcoming general elections to “see for themselves the transparency of the election process.”

The CEC Justice Irshad Hasan Khan has issued the directives after the EU announced that it would reduce the strength of its observers which it intended to send to Pakistan because of Pakistan’s “reluctance to meet security requirements.”

Justice Irshad had been telling the international observers in the past that they would be welcome to “observe” but not to “supervise” the forthcoming general election.

An EC announcement on Monday, whose tone and tenor was different from the previous announcement, said: “The international observers are most welcome to observe the pre-poll arrangements, voting process and counting of votes by the presiding officers at the close of the polls.”

The EC announcement said the observers could also witness the preparation of preliminary results by the returning officers after receiving statements of count from all polling stations of his constituency.

The EC said that the presiding officers would announce the preliminary result locally and shall provide a copy thereof to be affixed outside his office for information of general public.

The CEC emphasized that the Election Commission is arranging necessary briefing sessions for the observers in the EC secretariat at Islamabad and in the offices of the provincial election commissioners and necessary briefing material is being provided to the observers.

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Lopsided TV coverage to ‘favourite’ political parties

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 24: Notwithstanding the government’s claim of holding free, fair and impartial elections, the state-owned electronic media is giving maximum coverage to election campaign of Pakistan Muslim League (Q), followed by five parties’ religious alliance, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, an independent study said.

The PML (Q), whose election meetings are graced by Punjab governor Khalid Maqbool, got more time and prominence than the combined coverage received by two former ruling parties, People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (N) at PTV.

The PML (Q) got a total of almost 15 minutes on the PTV during the period from Sept 10 to 23. During the same period PPP, which has fielded the highest number of candidates (230) on 272 general seats of National Assembly for the Oct 10 polls, got only five minutes and 53 seconds.

The report published by Liberal Forum, quoting the final list published by the Election Commission said PML(Q) has fielded candidates on 193 seats.

Although there is no set criteria that how much coverage any single party should get on the public service medium, in functional democracies due weightage is given to the parties that had a strong presence in the previous parliament, it noted.

However. it observed that in Pakistan the elections are being held after three-year of military rule, the number of candidates fielded by any party can serve as the yardstick.

The Grand National Alliance (GNA) and its’ constituent parties got four minutes and 54 seconds.

Among others PML (N) got coverage for four minutes and 31 seconds, Muttahida Qaumi Movement three minutes and 26 seconds, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf two minutes and 44 seconds, PPP (Sherpao) two minutes and 26 seconds, Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party together with Balochistan National Party two minutes and 20 seconds, Awami National Party one minute and 34 seconds, Pakistan Awami Tehrik one minute and 23 seconds, Pakistan Muslim League (F) one minute and 11 seconds, Pakistan Muslim League (Zia) one minute and three seconds, Tehrik-i-Istaqlal 45 minutes, National Awami Party, 39 seconds, Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and Qaumi Jamhoree Party 36 seconds each, PPP (Shaheed Bhutto) 26 seconds, Balochistan National Congress, 25 seconds and Pakistan Gharib Party seven seconds.

The candidates from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) got two minutes and 45 seconds. The only independent candidate Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad from Rawalpindi was able to make it to the Khabarnama for 49 seconds.

The candidates belonging to minorities and women got coverage within the time accorded to the above-mentioned political parties. In the last fortnight the PPP also got adverse coverage on the PTV.

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‘Roti, Kapra, aur Makan’ to remain basis of PPPP’s election drive

By Tahir Hasan Khan

KARACHI: The Chairman of the PPP Parliamentarians (PPPP), Makhdoom Amin Fahim, on Tuesday, talked to this correspondent on a plethora of issues pertaining to the current election campaign. The crux of his interview was that “Roti, Kapra, aur Makan” would be the basis of the campaign.

Below are excerpts from the interview:

What is going to form the basis of your election campaign?

The manifesto of the PPP Parliamentarians (PPPP) will remain the same, embodying the popular slogan, ‘Roti, Kapra aur Makan’ (food, shelter, and clothing) introduced by the founder chairman of the PPP, the late Z A Bhutto.

Given the changing circumstances, do you envisage a change in the party programmes?

There will be no change in the party programmes introduced and followed by the governments of the late ZA Bhutto, and his daughter, Benazir Bhutto. We will follow the same programmes in exactly the same manner.

How do you rate your chances of success at the polls?

Well, we certainly hope to be able to form the government and solve the problems of the masses.

What are your views about the parliamentary changes announced by General Musharraf?

Our party firmly believes in a strong parliament as the supreme and independent body and we want to restore its all powers. My meetings with Qazi Hussain, Maulana Noorani, Imran Khan, Tahirul Qadri, Raja Zafarul Haq, and others are part of our plan to strengthen the parliament. They are all agreed on this point and have assured support. I will also meet other leaders to induce them to agree on a single point agenda.

If parliament is strong, the democratic process will continue smoothly in the country. I am not against the
powers of the district Nazim but I believe in a strong parliament as the supreme body and it is no justice that a member of parliament has no power even in the development of his constituency.

What is your view of the National Accountability Bureau and its working?

I am not satisfied with the performance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). There is no difference between Saif-ur-Rahman’s accountability and the present Ehtasab. Both adopted the policy of victimisation and targeted Benazir Bhutto, Asif Zardari, and other PPP leaders. The PPPP believes in even-handed accountability of all and election is
the best way for accountability of the politicians.

Do you approve the anti-terrorist stance of President Musharraf?

My party is against terrorism and will not tolerate it as such, whatsoever. I am also against the ethnic and religious fundamentalism and want to resolve the problems through
consensus."

What do you have to say about the legality-or otherwise-of the referendum conducted by general Musharraf to “elect” him president for the next five years?

Well, whatever Musharraf may say, I would like to emphasise that all actions and policies of the present regime require indemnity from the parliament according to the 1973 Constitution. That’s the plain and simple fact, nobody can run away from.

What do you have to say about the establishment of the National Security Council?

There is no provision in the Constitution for the National Security Council introduced by the present regime. The parliament should decide about this subject. It is the exclusive prerogative of the parliament. If parliament is supreme and independent, the way it is legally supposed to be in a parliamentary system, there is simply no need for a National Security Council.

Could you tell us what you feel about the issue of Benazir Bhutto’s speculated return?

Benazir decided to stay in exile and directed the party to contest the election under protest. She is fully confident about the capability of the party leadership and has allowed us to contest the election. We are following her directives and contesting election in the larger interest of democracy and to resolve the problems of the people. Benazir Bhutto had sent me a plan for election rallies in the country. I am following it and addressing election rallies of the party.

I addressed mammoth rallies in Multan, Kot Adu, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and now am going to participate in a three-day election campaign in Sindh from Wednesday. Is it true, as is being contended, that a segment within your party was responsible for impeding Benazir’s return to the country? The PPP is a large party. There are hardliners and other difference of opinion people in the party and everybody has right to say whatever he or she thinks.

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ANP carrying on Bacha Khan’s struggle: Asfandyar

From Our Correspondent

CHARSADDA – Central president of the Awami National Party and candidate for NA-7, Charsadda, one, Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that the ANP is continuation of Bacha Khan and his companions struggle who initiated against British imperialism before and after partition. He said this, while Addressing pubic meetings here in Utmanzai and Amirabad on Tuesday. He said that Bacha Khan and his Khudai Khidmatgar companions had rendered tremendous sacrifices for their just and sacred cause and suffered many hardship but never bowed down before the wicked forces.

He said that due Punjab hegemony today Pakhtun nation is being deprived of their basice rights and own resources. The Pakhtun nation should unite for provincial autonomy and due rights of Pakhtuns otherwise they would wander in other provinces to seek jobs and other livelihood, he added.

He said that October 10 would herald success for the ANP and the opponent forces despite proclaiming tall claims would meet shameful defeat as the ANP workers have the courage to face any kind of challenge.

He said that anti-Pakhtun lobby who in past had spared no moment against Pakhtun nation was these days talking of Pakhtuns rights and renaming of the province. Dost Mohammad Khan and Sartaj Khan also addressed the gatherings.

Meanwhile, provincial president of the ANP Begum Naseem Wali Khan said that politicians Mullahs have no programme about welfare of people in the upcoming elections and were using the name of Islam only to gain their objectives. Addressing a women convention in Charsadda Khas at the residence of Jehangir Khan on Tuesday she said that these so-called religious scholars had pushed thousands of Pakhtuns in Afghanistan war and earned million of US dollars as a reward. She said that Aftab Sherpao who remained twice chief minister of NWFP but never talked about Pakhtuns rights or renaming of the province. District councillor Samina Naz, Farah Yaqoob and Farhat Jabin also spoke on the occasion.
Begum Naseem said that except the ANP no political parties have proper programme

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Tit bits of electioneering in Sindh

By our correspondents

  • Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) candidate for NA-213, Nawabshah Dr Azra Pechuho has said that no government force can stop PPPP to return to power. Addressing a public meeting in village Niazi Sial, she said that the people would reject the political system given by the military government on October 10. The meeting was also addressed by PPPP candidate PS-26 Syed Ali Ahmed Shah, former MPA Inayat Ali Rind, Imdad Dhamrah, Salam Zardari and Manzoor Sial.

  • Pakistan People’s Party Sindh President Nisar Khuhro has urged the government not to become a party during the elections to ensure that the polls on October 10 are transparent.

Khuhro, who is also a contestant for PS-36, Larkana, while addressing a press conference at his Larkana residence, said for this elections, minimum time has been given for electioneering. He criticised his opponent, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, accusing him of using unfair tactics during his election campaigns.

  • The PPPP candidate for PS-37, Ayaz Soomro, who is fighting against Mumtaz Bhutto’s son Amir Bux Bhutto, complained that a police officer of his constituency was harassing his supporters at the behest of his opponents. He alleged that polling staff in the constituency had also been appointed according to the wishes of his opponents, "to tamper with the election results.

  • The PPP-SB Chairperson, Ghinwa Bhutto has emphasised that Pakistan could never achieve economic stability unless the people send a single political party to the corridor power with absolute majority. Addressing various election gatherings in the constituencies of her party candidates in Naudero, Ratodero and Larkana, she also said that a democratic system where minority was neglected could not survive. She stressed that in the country, democracy should be based on political ideologies and not on religion. PPP-SB has fielded Farooq Ahmad Bhutto for NA-207, Badruddin Bhutto for PS-35, Saeed Ahmad Bhutto for PS-36, Ali Asghar Umrani for PS-37, Dr Sikandar Ali Jatoi for PS-38 and Hareef Chandio for PS-42.

  • Two main contestants for NA-208, Jacobabad, Illahi Buksh Soomro and Aijaz Jakhrani, have stepped up their election campaigns, filled with allegations and counter-allegations. Soomro, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam (PML-QA) candidate for NA-208, while talking to reporters, has cited three problems of the people caused by his opponent: (1) his opponent shifted cattle-market from main city area to his own land, just to occupy the government plot; (2) after getting Taluka Nazimship, his opponents created problems instead of solving the problems of masses by shifting wagon-stand from its place to his own land at 7 kilometres away from the city; and, the Sudham Chand Chawla murder case, which is pending since eight months.

  • Jakhrani, the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) candidate in the same constituency, addressed a public meeting and claimed his opponent had remained in power and enjoyed top positions in the government but did nothing for the people and it was him, who being the Taluka Nazim, solved many public problems in one year, which were unresolved for 55 years. He also cited a number of development schemes approved or initiated during his tenure as Taluka Nazim, including potable water supply to Jacobabad, sanctioning of Rs 12 billion for filter plant. He added that after becoming the member of the National Assembly, he would solve the basic problems like drainage system, improvement of education sector and electrification to for remote villages.

  • Pir Sadderuddin Shah Rashdi, the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) candidate for NA-216 and PS-30, has said the PPP leaders, have exploited their mandate given to them in the past. Rashdi visited many villages, where a number of local PPP leaders joined the PML-F.

  • In the neighbouring Naushehrofroze district, National Alliance leader Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi addressed a public meeting in and lashed out at former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for adopting wrong policies, causing substantial decline in the popularity of her Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Jatoi said he was working for strengthening the federation, prosperity of the country and betterment of the people. Jatoi also announced his support for Abdul Sattar Abbasi, a candidate for PS-23.

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Govt committed to hold fair polls: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf here on Wednesday said the government is committed to holding free, fair and transparent elections on October 10, and in this behalf, it will take all necessary steps.

Addressing the cabinet meeting, President Musharraf observed that the government would also extend all help and assistance to the Election Commission for the holding of free and fair elections.

In this regard, the President made a special mention of the arrival of foreign observers, saying the government would welcome any number of foreign observers who would like to visit the country to monitor the general elections. The foreign observers, he said, would be extended all possible facilities in the accomplishment of their assignment.

General Pervez Musharraf directed the provincial governments to take all necessary steps to make the stay and movement of the foreign observers safe and comfortable. The foreign observers would be free to go to any provincial capital from where they will be taken to any polling station of their choice, escorted by army, so that they do not feel any sense of insecurity. The President said the foreign observers be taken to the polling stations in the form of escorted groups.

The government, he said, was absolutely clear in its commitment that it would never allow any one to tamper with the election process, and all those wishing to witness and monitor the election process will be free to do so, “so that the world could witness the fairness of these elections.”

President Musharraf said that during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister in New York earlier in the month, he asked Mr Koizumi to send Japanese observers to Pakistan to witness holding of general polls.“We expect a team of Japanese observers soon,” the President added.

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Poll security plans to be finalized on Oct 2

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: The Election Commission of Pakistan has called a meeting of key officials of police and administration of all the four provinces and the federal government on Oct 2 , with a view to finalizing security arrangements on the polling day.

The meeting will be attended by the federal interior secretary, provincial chief secretaries, home secretaries, secretary ministry of state and frontier region, inspectors general of police of the four provinces and the chief commissioner of federal capital, an EC announcement said.

The decision of holding a meeting to ensure maintenance of law and order arrangements on the polling day was taken by the commission, here on Wednesday.

The commission, which met under the chairmanship of CEC Irshad Hassan Khan, also disposed off a number of issues pertaining to election.

On an application filed by Pakistan Muslim League (N) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haque, it decided to withdraw party symbol of Tiger earlier allotted to Mr Arshad Javed, a candidate from PS-120 Karachi. The commission allotted Javed another symbol as an independent candidate.

The commission also directed Mr Haifzullah Ishaq, a candidate from NA-93 Toba Tek Singh-II, to file reply to the comments submitted by Toba Tek Singh district Nazim on former’s complaint.

Ishaq had earlier filed a complaint against T.T. Singh district Nazim for misusing state resources in the election campaign of his nephew.

The commission had also received similar complaint against Jhang district Nazim on which it had sought comments of the chief secretary. The commission, after perusing the comments of the chief secretary, referred these to the complainant asking him to submit a reply.

The commission withdrew symbols allotted to six political parties for their failure to comply with the requirements of the election laws.

Among these were: The Pakistan Awami Quwwat Party (Brush); The Pakistan Brohi Party (Ghulail), the Pakistan Jamhoori Aman Party (Scissors), the Pakistan Progressive Party (Well) and Tehreek-i-Wafaq Party (Whistle).

The EC also decided to change the election symbol of Tariq Hashmi, who was earlier allotted symbol of the National Alliance. The election symbol of Hashmi has been changed on a request filed by National Alliance Chairman Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi.

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Game wide open

By Nadeem Syed

With only two weeks to go in October 10 polls, it is still a far cry to pass final verdict about the Lahore Division.

The straws in the wind indicate that no political party has a decisive edge this time around. The PML(N) after the split into two factions, has totally lost its foothold here. As such, it is going to be a three-way fight in most cases. Local adjustments over and above party policies, is the order of the day. It seems all is set for the return of traditional power players to power in most constituencies, with a few exception.

In various constituencies of Kasur, Nakais, Ranas and Kasuris are likely to stage a comeback. Sardar Aseff Ahmad, a local power player has withdrawn in favour of Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, but his constituents are divided between PPP and PML(N).

In Okara and Sheikhupura, the position of PPP is slightly better than the other parties. This time Manzoor Wattoo is out. An interesting contest is brewing up between Mian Azhar and Mian Jalil of PML(N) in Sharqpur, Sheikhupura.

In Lahore district, the situation is no different. Here the individualism is taking precedence over collectivism. The campaign so far is dull. A few candidates are making waves for running their campaigns in full gears. But nothing is final as yet.

NA-118, according to them, is still wide open. It will be a two-way fight between President PML(QA), Mian Azhar and Hafiz Salman Butt, the joint candidate of PML(N) and JI.

However, some experts predict here local adjustments over and above the party policies. The PPP candidate, Ch. Abdul Qadir, is quite weak which shows that the party has not much at stake here and local adjustment towards the end of campaign is very much expected. It will be a hot contest between Azhar and Hafiz, both known for their passion for football.

NA-119-It is considered to be the stronghold of Sharifs. Initially Shahbaz Sharif was to contest from here. After the rejection of Shahbaz nomination papers, Kh. Saad Rafique is representing PML(N) here. Other candidates are Jahangir Badr and Mian Abdul Sattar.
Saad has an upper hand in this area. Some local leaders did not rule out seat adjustments between PPP and PML(N) towards the end. Both Jahangir Badr and Javed Hashmi are putting up in the same cell and so have developed a good equation. Can this new equation be the basis of some local adjustments? quizzed some analysts. In that case, the balance will go in favour of PPP candidate.

NA-120-Pervez Malik is the best bet here. Other important candidates are Mian Ashraf, brother of Mian Azhar, a new entrant, and Altaf Qureshi. So far Pervez Malik has got an edge in this constituency. This constituency also witnessed adjustments between the PPP and PML(N). An important slogan making round of this area is “Utay Shair, Thaley Teer”. It widely believed that in the final analysis, it is going to be two-way fight between Malik Pervez and Mian Ashraf

NA-121-Mian Jahangir, brother of Mian Muneer, has an upper hand up till now. Aurangzeb Burki is a PPP and Farid Piracha is the joint candidate of PML(N) and JI. There is a room for local adjustments here. The PPP candidate is quite weak. It is a two-way fight.

NA-122-This seat is wide open. Ch. Amin, the uncle of Ch. Akhtar Rasool, is pitted against Sardar Ayaz and Ghulam Qadir of PML(N) and PPP respectively. Ch. Amin is a very weak candidate. So far response from the constituency is lukewarm. However, he draws strength from the fact that his competitors are too weak either. Ch. Amin has the backing of Kambohs, a dominant caste in this area.

TI chief Imran Khan is also contesting from this area. He is yet to take off from this constituency as yet.

NA-123-Javed Hashmi of PML(N) is a very strong candidate here. Hashmi is in the run against Mian Waheed and Tariq Waheed Butt of PML(N) and PPP respectively. Akram Gujjar, a dedicated and well-known political worker, is spearheading Mr. Hashmi’s campaign. According to reports from the constituency, he is doing well. Waheed is banking on Arain bradari.

NA-124-Aitzaz Ahsan has an absolute edge in this area. He is a joint candidate of PPP and PML(N). He started his campaign in a novel way. His banners, bearing photographs of both Benazir and Nawaz Sharif, say “Nawaz Ka Wakil, Benazir Ka Wakil”.

NA-125-Still wide open. Close contest is expected in this constituency between Akram Zaki PML(N) and Humayun Akhtar (PML-QA). So far Akram Zaki is in no mood to give Humayun an easy run.

NA-126-Liaquat Baloch, a joint candidate of PML(N) and JI, is a favourite candidate. Other candidates are equally important. Tariq Badruddin Banday, PML(QA) and Fakhar Zaman, PPP.

Baloch enjoys good repute in the area as compared to Banday and Fakhr Zaman who are less visible in the area in the past. Banday has also problems with his wings, candidates of MPA.

NA-127-Ch Naseer Bhutta of PML(N) is making waves in this area. He is pitted against Alim khan of PML(QA) and Prof. Ejaz-ul-Hasan of PPP. Here Model Town factor ( For Sharifs residence) is a big motivating factor. Tahir-ul-Qadri, Chairman PAT, is also in the run from this constituency. He is wooing the minorities. He is an important factor here

NA-128-Wazir Ali Bhatti of PML(QA) is a better candidate as compared to Sardar Kamil Omar of PML(N) and Zaheer Abbas of PPP. It is rural constituency and bradarism will be the motivating factor here. Bhatti is amply supported by Mansha Sindhu and Sarfraz Khokhar, too big names in the area, contesting from provincial seats.

NA-129-Habibullah Warraich of PML(QA) has got an upper hand in the initial ranking. It is going to be a two-way fight between Sardar Arif Rashid, PML(N) and Habib. There is a sizeable concentration of Sardars in this area. Local leaders say Sardar Kamil Omar should have been awarded ticket from this area.

|NA-130-It is a two-way fight between Samina Ghurki and Ejaz Dial. Tough competition is expected here.

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PPPP vows to set up truth, reconciliation commission

By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians has finalised its election manifesto with a slogan of ‘Open mind, open markets and open opportunities’.

According to party sources, the manifesto is ready to release and it is likely to be unveiled in a day or two. According to copy of the manifesto available to The News, the PPPP will establish Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was borrowed from Nelson Mandela who implemented this idea in South Africa.

The purpose of the commission is to acknowledged victims of political injustice who fell prey to state sponsored perversion of justice to meet the ends of an unholy agenda to destroy trust in public representatives and promote militarism of the society.

The manifesto says that the party supports an independent and impartial anti-corruption office to investigate every citizen of Pakistan irrespective of the offices that ‘he or she’ may hold. "The anti-corruption body will conduct itself according to the universal principles of due process rather than become a handmaiden of hostile regimes against political opponents.

On economy, the manifesto says that the party focuses on making the changes that help people make successful business. To support middle class purchases a ‘Pay as You Earn Scheme’ (credit purchases) will be adopted in government corporations and other salaried institutions. A Credit Bank will be established, the purpose of which will be small and medium loans to encourage instalment purchase of television, furniture, cars, refrigerators and other household and daily life necessities, which are too expensive for outright purchase by age purchasers. This scheme will be expended to include non-salaried institutions gradually.

The manifesto says that the PPP pledges to eradicate poverty by ensuring that the social sector budget is increased, as is the Annual Development Plan. It is by investing in our young people that can build a progressive and prosperous society.

On education, the PPP manifesto says that the textbooks to government primary schools will be provided free of cost while a means test will make student eligible for additional government support. Libraries will be promoted and vocational centres, on the pattern of the computer literacy programme would be enhanced.

Internet access for government schools will enable the children of the underprivileged to access the worldwide information highway. The global language English will be an optional language for students to study preventing lingual apartheid where children of the rich speak English competing for worldwide jobs and children of the working classes are denied that opportunity.

On youth, the manifesto says that a youth force, similar to lady health visitors scheme, to be establish to assist in education, literacy and health enhancing literacy rates and creating social awareness. Overseas youth can be part of the youth force creating links between expatriate community and the foreign born new generation with their country of origin even as skill promote community welfare.

On Internet facility, it says that the software parks in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore will be revised and the state will actively equip the citizens to meet the demand of the future. It will give incentives for software development as well as hardware development. A special credit facility will be available for outstanding students to develop ideas in the field of artificial intelligence and the computer ages. The government will supplement ordinary libraries with computer libraries and Internet access.

On health, the manifesto says that the PPP government will improve government health centres and hospitals. It will establish Old People Homes as well as Homes for poor children to aid and assist families that find such issues challenging.

Regarding the judicial reforms, the manifesto says that each high court will appoint judicial ombudsman to visit jails and Thanas providing relief to those deserving it.

Law of foreclosure will be examined in discussion with judiciary. It is strong foreclosures in developed countries that enable the middle classes to obtain credit for purchase such as apartments, cars, televisions and similar products where lenders know that defaulters can be taken to task without a stay order. More women and minority judges will be inducted into the Judiciary.

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Politics a great equalizer

By Ayesha Haroon

THE feudal walls that couldn’t be pulled down by the progress of science have proved to be no hurdle for the vaulting ambition of the political lot.Nawabs and tumundars, feudal lords and religious leaders, hardly known for bringing in progressive pro-women legislation during their various tenures in power, they had kept their family women out of public arena.
Yet, come these elections and most have proposed the names of their womenfolk for the reserved seats as well as for the general seats.
The names of Tumundar Farooq Ahmed Leghari’s nieces, Sumera Malik and Ayla Malik, are there at the top of Millat Party’s list of reserved seats for women. The list also figures the name of Meena Leghari, the wife of Jaffar Leghari, a cousin and supporter of Farooq Leghari.
Then Qureshis, Khars and Nawabs of Muzaffargarh have all fielded their women on different seats, for men in these families are disqualified for either being undergraduates or loan defaulters.
As Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and his son Mansoor are both barred from contesting the polls, it’s Mansoor’s wife Sunnia who is now in the running for a provincial seat.
Rabbani Khar has his daughter Hina contesting a national seat on the PML-Q ticket, and Khalida Mohsin Ali of Mian Ata Qureshi’s family is contesting a national assembly seat as a PPPP candidate.
On the front of the religio-political parties, the name of the daughter of Jamaat-e-Islami Amir, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, is on JI’s reserved list for women as is the name of Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani’s sister on MMA’s reserved list. On the semi-religio-political front, the name of Tahir-ul-Qadri’s daughter-in-law at the top of the PAT’s list of reserved seats for women.
On the N League front, we have the daughter of Javed Hashmi being given two seats, general and reserved. N’s Jaffar Iqbal couldn’t contest but his wife has been placed on the reserved seats list while his daughter has been given a general election ticket.
Q League has some interesting cases as well. One is history, that of Momina Randhawa, the daughter of Punjab Chief Secretary Hafiz Randhawa who had to withdraw her candidature because for some reason there was public furor about her contesting on Q ticket when her father was sitting CS of the province.
The other is of the Hajra Tariq Aziz, wife of Mr Tariq Aziz of Neelam Ghar and later Supreme Court attack fame. Her name is on the reserved list, quite probably as a compensation since Tariq Aziz was not allowed to contest.
PPP-P’s Khalid Ghurki, not able to contest himself, has fielded his wife Samina Khalid in the elections. In Vehari, unable to find a suitable candidate for NA seat PPP-P’s Javed Mumtaz Daultana, contesting a provincial seat, has fielded his sister Shahida Daultana against N’s Tehmina Daultana.
In fact, other than perhaps Imran Khan’s PTI, there is hardly a party that has not tried to keep power or the possibility of power within the family. Incidentally, while Imran Khan’s wife or sisters are not contesting on any general or reserved seat, it is Jemima Khan who has had to bear the brunt of the smear campaign of PTI’s political opponents.
Treating political power as a property and birth right, most politicians have shown that they will go to any extent to protect and keep it within the family, literally. So while there is change it is brought about by default rather than with the right spirit.
How will these remote-controlled MNAs deliver, is anyone’s guess. They do not have any experience of real life politics, process of legislation, and political organization. Some contesting on general seats are not even expected to come out in the constituency to talk to the people who are supposed to vote for them. The daughter of the district nazim Attock and niece of Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain, Eman Waseem, has not been seen in the constituency by most voters.
Not tied to any constituency politics by law or by experience, who would they be representing in the parliament? Would they be women representatives in general? If this was the change the NRB was promising when it announced increase in the reserved seats for women, then they did not get it quite right. When tickets are distributed within the kin and reserved seats reserved for family, then expecting a genuine change is futile.
That said, just having a sizeable number of women in the assembly, howsoever hamstrung by their family and party men, might shift the focus of the debate from pure power politics to some vital social issues.
There are no Benazirs amongst them, but who knows this may be start of a process that helps evolve genuine female politicians in the country.

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**Agents allowed to check material before polls **

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The Election Commission (EC) has directed the presiding officers (POs) to allow polling agents of the candidates to check the ballot paper books with serial numbers , to ensure that all the ballot papers meant for their polling stations were available in polling bags, and that nothing was detached from them.

The EC in its meeting on Thursday reviewed the measures it had been proposing to ensure fair elections, and said that on the polling day, the sealed polling bags should be opened in the presence of the polling agents.

The commission asked the POs to ensure that each sealed polling bag contained a detailed invoice of all election material and the ballot paper books with serial number.

The EC said it also should be ensured that a certificate should be obtained from the polling agents in whose presence the polling bags were opened and the polling commenced.

The EC stated that the ballot papers provided at the polling stations were not numbered, and only the counterfoils of the ballot papers bore the running serial number.

The commission said the rationale behind this was that once a ballot paper was issued to a voter, and he marked and inserted it in the ballot box concerned, and no one could find as to who has voted for whom.

The chief election commissioner said it should also be ensured that all ballot boxes should also be shown empty to the polling agents and should be sealed for balloting in their presence and a certificate to this effect should also be obtained.

The commission, highlighting the other measures, stated that it should be ensured that in the “statement of count” (Form-XIV), copy whereof was enclosed, the presiding officers should write the number of votes secured by each candidate both in words and figures to eliminate the chances of any alteration.

About the results, the commission announced that on the basis of statement of counts in respect of all polling stations in a constituency, total votes polled and the votes polled by each contesting candidates would be summed up by the returning officer (RO) concerned for each NA and PA constituency.

The ROs would prepare preliminary results of election and the each result would also be signed by the candidate concerned or his election agent, who might be present at that time.

The commission clarified that such results for the constituency would be announced by the concerned ROs locally at the spot, and a copy of the preliminary results for the constituency would be pasted at the prominent places outside the ROs offices.

The result would also be transmitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan through telephone and fax, and they would be released to the electronic and print media by the Election Commission, the EC said.

About the consolidation of results by the ROs, the Election Commission clarified that every result would be finally consolidated on a date fixed by the officer concerned.

The consolidation would be carried out in the presence of the candidate and/or the election agent of the candidate, the EC added.

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PPP was never in favour of Christian rights

Updated on 9/24/2002 6:25:32 PM

KARACHI (NNI): Pakistan Christian Congress condemned the election alliance between PPP and All Pakistan Minorities Alliance and termed it against the will of the 15 million Christian of Pakistan.Talking to Salim Balouch, advisor to Nazir s Bhatti, President PCC and other PCC leaders Morris sadiq, Naeem ul Zamman Khokhar at Head office PCC at 510 B Uni Plaza, saddar, Karachi, on telephone from New York, Mr. Nazir S Bhatti said that Pakistan Peoples Party have never worked for the Christian rights but PPP legislated all discriminatory laws against Christians in Pakistan endorsed in the 1973 constitution of Islamic republic of Pakistan.

Nazir Bhatti said that Christians could never forget the nationalization of missionary schools, colleges and hospitals by the PPP government.

and indiscriminate police firing on peaceful protest procession by PPP and killing Nawaz And James Masih in Rawalpindi.

He expressed that Christian have not forgotten those martyrs in the PPP regime.

Mr. Bhatti said that PPP never moved any motion against Blasphemy laws in parliament being present in house nor dared to propose the procedural amendments in this during their regimes.

Mr. Bhatti said that slogan of joint elections was ever used to capture the vote bank of Christians in Pakistan by the PPP when PPP never nominated any Christian candidates in 1977 elections and there is not single Christian candidate nominated on PPP ticket in these elections on general seats.

Mr. Nazir Bhatti said that Joint elections are conspiracy against the Pakistani Christians and Muslim political parties have planned to impose leadership of their own choice on Christians to end their voice in the parliament.

PPP and APMA is the clear picture of government’s secret agreement with PPP.

Mr. Nazir S Bhatti said that APMA chairman was not able to be successful on even councilor seat in Faisalabad because he have never enjoyed the Christian voters support and this is the only reason that so called leaders were against the separate elections and demanded joint elections to use back door to reach in power through these Muslim political parties.

Expressing his vies on Sindh APMA leaders press conference in Hyderabad, Mr. Bhatti said that these Christian leaders have no principal in life but they have deceived Christians for their vested interests.

Its shameful act of these Christian leaders that they never resigned from their Sindh Assembly seats to protest against separate elections and in favor of joint elections when they begged for votes and reached in assembly through separate elections and now they condemn the separate elections by which they earned millions of rupees and permits of liquor shops on bargains on principals.

Mr. Bhatti said that Michael Javeed and Salim Khokhar are tools of administration.

Mr. Nazir S Bhatti said that Christians shall not accept this PPP and APMA alliance but they reserved right to decide to cast votes in these elections under joint elections.

Mr. Bhatti said the leadership of Christians on votes of Muslim leaders in parliament should be touts of feudal lords and bureaucracy not of general Christians.

Mr. Nazir S Bhatti appealed to Christians to join PCC campaigns to condemn these joint election forces and to make collective decision to participate or not to participate in elections under joint electorate.

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