ISLAMABAD, Oct 7: Around 200 observers representing six major international organizations and over 50 countries will monitor the Oct 10 general elections.
“A total of 190 foreign observers have already arrived in Pakistan,” sources at the Election Commission and Foreign office told Dawn on Monday.
These observers represent the European Union, Commonwealth, Asian Network for Fair and Free Election (ANFREL), International Centre for Ethnic Studies, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and Transparency International.
The European Union had fielded the biggest team comprising some 86 members, representing all its 17-member states while the Commonwealth Observer Group comprised 32 members, sources said.
The Bangkok-based NGO, ANFREL, has sent 42 delegates and the Sri Lanka-based International Centre for Ethnic Studies that represents the Saarc mission comprises 44 members.
It is due to the ongoing Pakistan-India military standoff that the Indian observers have been kept out of the Saarc mission. Former Bangladesh foreign secretary Farooq A. Choudhry is heading the Saarc mission.
The Washington-based NDI had sent a five-member advance team of which four have already returned. The NDI now has two representatives here and the Transparency International has three.
More than half a dozen observers had also come from Japan, the sources said.
Representatives of the key diplomatic missions in Islamabad including the US, Britain, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Japan, and South Africa will also be visiting polling stations on the election day to monitor the polls process.
By Raja Riaz
LAHORE–According to election schedule announced by the authority, the election campaign will end by Tuesday midnight. The political parties will complete their mass contact move by that time.
The parties held corner meetings and avoided big gatherings. The government has fixed different places for public gatherings and the parties avoided to go to these places as it is perhaps the first election in the country’s history in which the masses participation was minimum and the people avoided to attend the election gatherings.
The main reason of this low interest by the masses is stated to be the absence of the leadership of two major parties from the country and there was no personality which could fetch the people out of homes.
Pakistan People’s Party arranged big gatherings in different parts of the country and their last big meeting was held at Minar-i-Pakistan, Lahore. This meeting was addressed by Benazir Bhutto, the chief of party in exile. She addressed on telephone. It was the first-ever address of any Pakistani leader through satellite. By adopting this mean, PPP foiled the attempt of government to stop its leader’s address to party workers.
MMA is another party which arranged big gatherings throughout the country. Its leaders gave momentum to the electioneering for their candidates. Besides, the leaders of the components of MMA also individually addressed the meetings.
Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf also organised the meeting but their main emphasis was on Punjab especially Lahore and Mianwali from where PTI chief is contesting for National Assembly. Tahirul Qadri, the chief of Pakistan Awami Tehrik addressed most of the public gatherings in Jhang and Lahore.
National Alliance chief Farooq Leghari is perhaps the only leader who addressed meetings in the four provinces. National Alliance arranged meetings in the big cities.
PML(QA) could not arrange big gatherings in Lahore. PML(N) also could not address big gathering in the City.
It is pertinent to mention that this election kept many political leaders in their respective constituencies and did not move in the other parts of country.
ISLAMABAD: Election campaign by political parties and independent candidates terminated midnight Tuesday – two days ahead of the polls.
The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Muttehida Majlis-e-Amal, the Pakistan Muslim League(QA), the Tehrik-e-Insaaf Pakistan, and many other parties held big public meetings.
The absence of two popular leaders – Benazir Bhutto of PPP and Nawaz Sharif of PML-N – made the electioneering a dull drama. There was no charismatic leader in this campaign to pull large crowds.
Shaikh Rashid was the only independent candidate who held rally at Liaquat Bagh – a show even some big parties could not dare to hold.
The PPP Parliamentarians was one of those parties which held big public meetings at Minar-e-Pakistan. Most of other mainstream political outfits, however, failed to hold big shows at the sprawling venue.
Contrary to election traditions, big public meetings and torch-bearing rallies were not seen this time. It was partly because of the absence of mainstream politicians, and partly because of stringent election rules and code of conduct.
President PML-Q, Mian Azhar, did not hold any big public meeting any where in Pakistan, One reflection of this campaign was that the politically influentials would manage to return as this time the party vote banks have drastically eroded. It was the key reason that the individual candidates worked hard in their areas, though PML-Q provincial leader Ch Pervez Elahi conducted visits to all major cities of the Punjab.
The anti-government parties run their campaign promising to scrap amendments made by the military government, while the PML-Q and the Grand National Alliance supported the government policies.
The Election Commission, however, introduced new laws to disqualify those who attacked opponents or levelled false accusations on opposing candidates. The election campaign by political parties remained largely peaceful, except a few incidents of clashes in some cities.
MMA ran its campaign almost like previous elections, but its key theme was anti-American slogan. The PPPP fielded candidates more than any other political party, followed by PML-Q and PML-N. As many as 99 independent candidates entered the election arena with an election symbol of Crescent (Chand). It created impression of emergence of an independents political party.
The PML-N this time is contesting elections without the backing of the establishment. The absence of the Sharif family proved a fatal blow to the party. The PPPP, despite the absence of Bhutto and confinement of Asif Zardari, managed to keep its house in order.
APP adds: Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider has said that the government has taken special security measures to hold forthcoming general elections in a peaceful manner.
“In this regard, a comprehensive plan has been shaped in consultations with provincial government and law enforcing agencies,” he said while talking to Voice of America.
He said this plan has been forwarded to all provinces, their districts and tehsil headquarters and added, under the plan, the police will have to take most of the responsibilities.
The minister said the government will provide full security to the foreign observers who have come to Pakistan to monitor the forthcoming elections.
The foreign observers will be free to go to any polling station of their choice, he added. To a question he said that armed forces cannot be withdrawn in view of the security situation on our eastern as well as western borders.
“We have raised 37,000 Janbaz force to ensure holding of elections in a peaceful environment and they will also help the police,” he added.
Moin said the scouts and rangers will be deployed at some places, while the army will also remain at stand-by position. The army will be available in all sensitive areas so that the people could cast their votes peacefully, he added.
Moin said the government has also made special security arrangements for polling stations which have been declared sensitive.
He said the large number of these sensitive stations are located in NWFP, adding, “Balochistan is a second province where we have apprehensions about election related violence.”
The minister hoped that “besides maintaining law and order situation during the elections, we will be able to guard our eastern as well as western borders and also keep vigilance to curb any terrorist activity in the country.”
Moin said the government also got some reports which say that India is trying to sabotage the elections.
AFP adds: Pakistan’s army is on alert ahead of elections Thursday and more than 200,000 police, paramilitaries and anti-terrorist commandos will be deployed at polling stations, officials said Tuesday.
Some 30 of the country’s 119 districts have been declared sensitive due to recent terrorist attacks, violence between the Shiite and Sunni Muslim sects, or bitter rivalry between contestants from more than 60 political parties, they said.
“The army will be on call in each sensitive district,” an Interior Ministry official told AFP. “They will be ready to attend to any emergency, while police and paramilitary soldiers will be deployed at polling stations for security on the polling day.”
Some 64,475 polling stations across Pakistan will open Thursday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm for the first parliamentary elections since a military coup three years ago. In Karachi security forces are on high alert. “Two-thirds of Karachi has been declared sensitive,” said the city’s police chief Tariq Jameel.
A 10,000-strong police force and another 10,000 paramilitary Rangers will be on guard in the city, and army troops can be called “on short notice.”
“We have summoned additional forces including anti-terrorist squads and commandos,” Jameel said.
Patrolling would be intensified from Tuesday and cars will be checked for arms and explosives on polling day.
APP adds: Nation will go to polls on Thursday, October 10, to use their right of franchise and to elect representatives of their own choice to establish sustainable democracy in the country.
The October 10 polls, the eighth in country’s history will seek to elect a new leadership for the people, which can ameliorate their sufferings and make their dreams come true.
Starting from 1970, seven elections, party and non-party basis, have been held till 1997 while October 2002 elections will be the 8th in this sequences.
The previous elections were held in 1970,1977, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993 and 1997.
Election Commission of Pakistan headed by Chief Justice (Retd) Irshad Hasan Khan has made extensive and elaborate arrangements to hold free, fair and impartial elections.
There are 72 million eligible voters through out the country including 33 million women voters who will use their right of vote.
Says executive authority to be transferred to PM; ensures good governance; vows to use his good offices to promote political harmony, national reconciliation
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: People should elect competent and honest representatives to ensure true and sustainable democracy in the country, stressed President General Pervez Musharraf in his address to the nation on Wednesday on the eve of general elections.
He appealed to the people to bring a change by electing new faces so that old politicians and the old system do not return. He pledged to provide security to the voters and hold free, fair and transparent elections.
He declared that he would hand over power to the elected prime minister and abolish the office of the chief executive, which he assumed on October 12, 1999, when he seized power. He urged the people to fulfil their responsibility of electing efficient, honest and dedicated representatives, as he has fulfilled the promise he made with the nation of introducing real democracy in the country. He said: “Pakistan is at the crossroads of history and going to start a new democratic era. This is a transitional phase,” he said.
President Musharraf stressed winning candidates should be submissive, tolerant and show large heartedness while the losing candidates should show maturity and accept the defeat with dignity, burying the politics of enmity and hatred.
“One should look bright future of democracy in Pakistan as the present government has succeeded in developing a culture of honesty and merit,” said the president. He expressed the hope that the future government would not change the culture of merit and honesty.
On future role of media, he said the media could play a very important role. “We have given complete independence to press and electronic media, and it should report freely on matters of national importance.”
He said the past democratic governments emerged as a result of sham democracy, which put the country on path of disaster. He said the government has now brought the country back from the brink of disaster and created a true democratic culture.
“We have to take the country forward on a democratic path, a path of sustainable democracy, and with these elections we are going to start a new era of reconciliation to strengthen the country and its institutions,” said the president.
APP adds: Gen. Musharraf said Allah Almighty has given Pakistan all resources in abundance and “we all shall have complete faith in the prosperous future of Pakistan.” President Musharraf said he always speak truth. “Whatever I had in my mind and heart, I spoke.” At the same time, he said, he never hesitated to admit mistakes.
The president said he dauntlessly faced the external and internal challenges and, by the grace of Allah Almighty, pulled the country out of woods and placed it back on the road to economic stability. “We earned a respect for our country in the comity of nations,” the president said.
During his three-year government, the president said he consulted people from all walks of life and took the nation into confidence over matters of national importance.
“We promoted honesty and merit and collectively guided the country on the road to progress, prosperity and dignity.”
The president said he often had complaints from politicians that the army did not give them enough time to work for the progress of the country. But, he reminded, during the last eleven years two political governments had a chance to serve the nation twice each.
The present government, he said, was also given a three-year time by the Supreme Court and “we delivered in these three years which these governments failed to do.” President Musharraf said crowning of these restructuring and reforms was only possible by introducing true and sustainable democracy in the country.
The president said, “We have started the process of true democracy by empowering the poorest of the poor at the grassroots level and giving them all administrative, financial and political authority.”
He said many international organisations termed the government devolution plan as silent revolution and “I myself feel that it is a true silent revolution.” With the passage of time, the president said, this system will take roots and help establish a new political culture which would be beneficial for the commonman.
He paid tributes to the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) for the hard work it had done to put the new system in place. Talking about the rationale behind the constitutional amendments, the president said its main purpose was to introduce a system of checks and balances on all “power brokers”, ensure sustainable democracy and continuity of reforms and policies.
All the amendments, he said, had been made in light of the decision of the Supreme Court and “I am happy that in its recent decision, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed that these amendments have been made without disturbing the basic structure of the constitution.”
He said over 300 foreign observers are here to monitor the polls. “They are free to go anywhere and observe themselves the entire process,” he said while adding, the government has provided them the security and other facilities.
The president reassured that all executive authority will be fully transferred to the elected prime minister and he will no more be the chief executive. But, he made it clear that he will ensure good governance and will not compromise, whatsoever, on the solidarity and integrity of the motherland.
The president promised to use his good offices to promote political harmony and an environment of reconciliation. Referring to certain concerns over the “lackluster” election campaign, he said there might have been no major political rallies but leaders of political parties addressed millions of people through freedom of expression given to the print and electronic media.
“This is the modern way (of electioneering), this is how it is done worldwide. The projection, these leaders received through electronic and print media is unprecedented.” The president did not agree to assertions made by certain quarters about the absence of two leaders from the political scene. “Are there only two leaders left in this country of 140 million people,” the president asked. He said, “we are very talented nation and the need is only to give the talent an opportunity to emerge.”
About another apprehension of old faces returning to assemblies, the president asked not to be so pessimistic about the future. “We have analyzed the situation and observed that almost 41 per cent of the traditional faces have vanished due to the graduation condition introduced to bring forth educated, capable, and enlightened people,” he added. In the Punjab province alone, he said, of the total candidates, 90 per cent are new faces. Moreover, he said, the allocation of reserved seats for women will also have a positive impact on the composition of the future parliament.
The president said political polarisation, country witnessed in the past, was due to two political leaders who pursued politics of hatred and vengeance throughout. But he hoped, since they were no more there, “the new leadership will not indulge in politics of personal vendetta.”
ISLAMABAD: The nation goes to polls today amid tight security measures taken by the government. Elaborate election arrangements have been made by the Election Commission.
More than 72 million people, aged 18 or above, are enrolled as voters. Following a lacklustre campaign the turnout is expected to be moderate. The polling will be held from 8 in the morning till 5 in the evening. The Election Commission is likely to start announcing unofficial results late Thursday night.
The voters have to show their national identity cards (NICs) to exercise their right to vote. The
polling will be held simultaneously for the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies’ seats, and each voter will be given two ballot papers for that purpose.
These elections will be held on joint electoral basis with 10 seats reserved for minorities and 60 for women. The seats for women will be allocated on the basis of proportional strength of the political parties in the general elections, with certain conditions.
The parties have already submitted priority-wise list of their women candidates. However, a considerably high number of women are contesting elections on direct seats, which shows a healthy trend of women participation in electoral politics.
The Election Commission of Pakistan headed by Chief Election Commissioner Chief Justice (retd) Irshad Hasan Khan has announced completion of all arrangements for holding free, fair and transparent elections.
These elections are being held in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment, which says the military government would hold general elections within 3 years and this timeframe ends on October 12.
There would be interesting contest between the major political parties, as the direct elections are being held on 272 National Assembly and 577 Provincial Assemblies’ seats.
Except for one provincial constituency in Faisalabad, the polls will be held in the entire country, Fata and the federal capital, which has two National Assembly seats. A record number of 7,208 candidates are vying for 849 seats - 272 National Assembly and 577 Provincial Assemblies’ seats.
There are 28 candidates contesting for two NA seats in Islamabad, 946 for 148 NA seats in the Punjab, 634 for 61 NA seats in Sindh, 241 for 35 NA seats in the NWFP, 128 for 14 NA seats in Balochistan and 121 for 12 NA seats reserved for Fata.
There will be 2,386 candidates contesting for 297 Punjab Assembly seats, 1,561 for 130 Sindh Assembly seats, 642 for 99 NWFP Assembly seats and 521 for 51 Balochistan Assembly seats.
For such a gigantic national exercise to bring back democracy and establish democratic rule, the Election Commission has set up 64,475 polling stations which will have 164,718 polling booths.
The Commission has despatched election material to respective areas and the troops have been deployed, in addition to law-enforcing agencies’ personnel, rangers and others, for maintaining law and order.
The vote count will be held in the presence of polling agents and international observers, who have arrived in Pakistan in a large number to monitor the elections. A carbonised copy of these results will be provided to polling agents and affixed at each polling station.
There are 73 political parties, both major and smaller, contesting the elections, and collectively they have fielded 4,386 candidates who all are graduates. The condition of graduation for a candidate was must.
A condition was also introduced that twice elected prime ministers or chief ministers cannot be elected for the third time. It virtually eliminated chances of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to become prime minister for the third time, though they were also disqualified to contest polls.
The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian has fielded 710 candidates both for the National and Provincial Assemblies, PML-QA 646, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal 569, PML-N 546, Tehrik-e-Insaaf 295, MQM 182, National Alliance 272, and Pakistan Awami Tehrik 218.
There are 2,788 independent candidates and 99 of them are contesting on the election symbol of Crescent. The returned candidates will have to file a statement of election expenses within 10 days of the elections, following which their names as returned candidates would be notified in the official gazette.
ISLAMABAD: The hotly contested National Assembly constituencies where heads of leading political parties and aspiring prime ministers are competing will be closely watched in Thursday’s general elections.
Apart from these seats, the constituencies of the “Chand (Crescent) Group” will be also under intense scrutiny. PPPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim is likely to have an easy win in Hala (NA-218 Hyderabad). Speaker Illahi Bux Soomro, a strong contender for the office of the prime minister, is contesting for NA-208 Jacobabad against PPPP, PML-N, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidates.
Another aspirant for the premiership, Iftikhar Gilani, is competing for NA-14 Kohat against PML-N’s Javed Ibrahim Paracha and nominees of the MMA and ANP.
PML-QA’s Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, yet another candidate of the office of the premier, is vying for NA-139 and 140 Kasur against PPPP’s Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, PML-N’s Sheikh Waseem Akhtar, MMA’s Abdul Karim Chaudhry, Maulana Moeenuddin Lakhvi (Independent) and MMA’s Mian Mukhtar Ahmed.
Former minister Zobaida Jalal is vying for Kech-cum-Gwadar (NA-272) constituency of Balochistan against MMA’s Maulana Abdul Haq. PML-QA President Mian Azhar is facing Hafiz Suleman Butt, PPPP’s Chaudhry Abdul Qadir, and Hafiz Abdul Wadood.
Mir Zafarullah Jamali, a long-time candidate for the post of prime minister, is contesting from his native NA-266 Nasirabad against PPPP’s Munawar Khosa, MMA’s Hafeezur Rehman Khosa and seven others. ANP President Asfandyar Wali is locked in one-to-one fight against MMA’s Abdullah Jan in NA-7 Charsadda. Aftab Sherpao is facing ANP’s Iftikhar Matta and two other candidates in NA-8 Charsadda.
Musharraf’s another former minister Abbas Sarfraz is trying his luck from two NWFP constituencies, NA-9 Mardan and NA-23 Kohistan against the candidates of the PPPP, MMA and others. In Kohistan, he is in electoral battle against PPPP’s Afzal Khan, MMA’s Molvi Abdul Haleem, PML-N’s Mehboobullah Jan and four others.
Imran Khan is fighting for NA-29 Swat against PML-Q’s powerful Adnan Aurangzeb and the nominees of the MMA and PPPP. He is also vying for NA-122 Lahore against PML-QA’s Humayun Akhtar, PPPP’s Chaudhry Ghulam Qadir and PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Prof Dr Tahirul Qadri, Chairman, Pakistan Awami Tehrik, is contesting for NA-51 Gujar Khan (Rawalpindi) and NA-89 Jhang against PPPP’s Pervez Ashraf, PML-N’s Chaudhry Khurshid Zaman, MMA’s Chaudhry Tariq Mehmood, PML-Q’s Raja Shaukat Aziz and two others.
In Jhang, Makhdoom Asad Hayat of PPPP, Anwar Cheema of MMA, Shoaib Farooq of PML-Q and ten others are contesting against Qadri.
The fight of PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq in NA-54 Rawalpindi against Ijazul Haq, Zamurd Khan of PPPP, Allama Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi of PML-QA, Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of MMA and five others is of interest.
Syed Abida Hussain of PML-QA is facing her traditional rival, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat of PPPP besides MMA’s Maulana Abdul Waris Chinioti and others in NA-88 Jhang.
Hamid Nasir Chattha is fighting against PML-QA’s Chaudhry Bilal Ijaz and others in NA-100 Gujranwala and PPPP’s Asma Shahnawaz Cheema in NA-101. PPPP’s Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, PML-Q’s Riffat Javed have challenged PML-N’s Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal in NA-117 Narowal.
PML-N’s Makhdoom Javed Hashmi is contesting for NA-123 Lahore where PML-Q’s Mian Waheed, PPPP’s Tariq Waheed Butt and others are fighting against him. In his native Multan (NA-148), Hashmi is facing his traditional rival, PPPP’s Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-e-Islami is fighting against PML-QA’s Tariq Badruddin Banday, Fakhr Zaman of PPPP and others in NA-126 Lahore.
PML-QA’s Syed Fakhr Imam’s fight against PPPP’s Aslam Bodla, PML-N’s Farhatullah Khan in NA-158 Khanewal, and against PML-N’s Rao Farman Ali, PPPP’s Raza Hayat Hiraj and Maulana Iftikhar Haqqani in NA-156 Khanewal has attracted attention.
Begum Tehmina Daultana is competing for NA-168 and 169 Vehari against PML-QA’s Ishaq Khan Khakwani and PPPP’s Shahida Daultana in one constituency and PML-QA’s Aftab Khichi and PPPP’s Kashif Mushtaq Bhabha in the other.
MMA’s Hafiz Hussain Ahmed’s fight in NA-260 Quetta-cum-Chagai-cum-Mastung against PML-N’s Syed Faisal Hussain Shah, PPPP’s Muhammad Hassani, PMLK-QA’s Haji Baloch Khan and some others will be of interest.
MMA’s Qazi Hussain Ahmed is pitched against PPPP’s Maj-Gen (retd) Naseerullah Babar and ANP’s Mian Rashid Ali Shah in NA-5 Nowshera. He is facing ANP’s Muhammad Ayub Khan, PML-QA’s Sardar Abdul Hakeem Tajak and PPPP’s Malik Rashid Khan in NA-34 Lower Dir.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s contest in NA-24 and 25 constituencies of Dera Ismail Khan against Sanaullah Miankhel of PML-QA, Faisal Karim Kundi of PPPP and others in one constituency and Dawar Khan Kundi and others on the second seat is to be closely watched.
PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s fight in Bhakkar against PML-N’s Afzal Khan Dhandula and PPPP’s Malik Ghulam Sarwar and in Gujrat (NA-105) against PPPP’s Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar is noteworthy.
PPPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan is contesting for NA-124 Lahore against PML-Q’s Khurram Rohail Asghar in Lahore. Aitzaz is facing Ijazul Haq, PML-QA’s Azhar Mehmood and PML-N’s Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood Jajja in NA-187 Bahawalpur.
Farooq Leghari is facing his cousin Maqsood Leghari’s son in NA-172 Dera Ghazi Khan, while he is fighting in NA-163 Sahiwal against PPPP’s Begum Shahnaz Javed.
Mahmood Achakzai is also contesting for two seats, NA-259 Quetta and NA-262 Killa Abdullah, and is facing PPPP’s Saifullah Paracha, PML-Q’s Fazal Agha and others in one constituency and PML-Q’s Lala Jan, PML-N’s Muhammad Ismail, PPPP’s Bismillah Khan Kakar and MMA’s Maulana Muhammad Hanif in the other.
Asad Junejo faces PPPP’s Qurban Ali Shah, PML-N’s Mukhdoom Shahnawaz in NA-227 Mirpurkhas while Jean Khan Sarfraz Raja is fighting against him in NA-235 Sanghar. Hazar Khan Bijarani of PPPP is facing PML-N’s Raheem Bakhsh Soomro and PML-Q’s Raheem Khan Khoso in NA-209
LAHORE: Today’s elections are mainly being contested between PPP-P and PML-QA with the former banking upon the idea of division of its opposing votebank and the latter relying on the popular notion that they are going to form the next government.
The other political parties are expected to play the role of spoilers for both the main electoral forces. The PML-N and the MMA will divide the anti-PPP votebank damaging the PML-QA but at the same time, they may deprive the PPP-P of a reasonable portion of negative vote bank against Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government benefiting the QA League.
The PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto seems to be the most satisfied leader of any political party as it is for the first time since first elections held on the basis of adult franchise in 1970 that anti-PPP votebank is going to be badly divided all over Pakistan.
In all five party-based elections held from 1977 to 1997, the PPP opponents banked upon the idea of one-to-one contest. The formation of PNA in 1977 and IJI in 1988 were attempts to get this objective served. The PPP has suffered a lot because of this despite being single largest party as far as voting strength is concerned.
Today, there are only three national and a few provincial seats where one-to-one contest is being held. These include NA-7 of Asfandyar Wali, NA-27 of Anwar Saifullah Khan and NA-146 of Rao Safdar. In all three constituencies, the QA League is on one side of the divide instead of the PPP’s amended version the PPP-P.
There are only five national constituencies including NA-5 of Naseerullah Babar and Qazi Hussain Ahmad, NA-11 of ANP’s Habibullah Khan and MMA’s Maulana Ataur Rehman, NA-90 of Sahibzada Nazir Sultan and Saima Akhtar Bharwana, NA-103 of Liaquat Bhatti and Sarfraz Bhatti and NA-233 of Liaquat Jatoi and Rafiq Mahessar where three-way fight is going to be held.
In all other constituencies, four or more candidates have challenged each other. There are only two constituencies of FATA area where all the contestants are independents and no political party has awarded ticket to any one.
The PML and Jamaat Islami were the two main political parties behind the idea of one-to-one contest in the past. This time, to the utter satisfaction of the PPP-P, their leaders Nawaz Sharif and Qazi Hussain Ahmad have turned to be the instrumental to divide the anti-PPP votebank.
So in most of the constituencies of National Assembly and NWFP and Punjab assemblies, it is three or four-way fight among PPP-P, PML-QA, PML-N and MMA. There are many constituencies where the electoral fight is rather five-way or even six-way as the Dr Tahirul Qadri’s PAT and Imran Khan’s PTI are there to register their presence on the electoral scene. In some constituencies, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi’s National Alliance, Hamid Nasir Chattha’s Grand Democratic Alliance, Altaf Hussain’s MQM-HP, Ijazul Haq’s PML-Z and Sunni Tehrik are also in the run.
According to a survey conducted by this correspondent, the PPP-P’s National Assembly squad consists of 230 candidates. The QA League has fielded 193 candidates besides making adjustments in a number of constituencies with NA, GDA and PPP-S and leaving several seats open for King’s men in the PML-N and among independents. The PML-N has awarded 170 tickets for National Assembly and the MMA’s are 181. The NA’s 72, the GDA’s 16, PML-F’s 16 and the PML-Z’s 15 are also in the run to divide anti-PPP votebank.
Some other parties’ candidates for National Assembly include PAT’s 66, the PTI’s 96, the MQM-HP’s 49, ANP’s 30, NAP,'s 14, SDA’s 11, PKMAP’s seven, Qaumi Jamhoori Party’s seven, PPP-S’s 11, Pakistan Workers Party’s eight, Pakistan Ghareeb Party’s three, Sunni Tehrik’s 22, MQM’s 18, PPP-SB’s 16 and many of other parties. This figure also exposes the claim of PAT and PTI to be big parties. They have failed to give candidates even in one-third of the total 272 National constituencies. Same is the situation in provincial assemblies.
Some of above-mentioned parties will damage the PPP-P but on a limited scale. However, since PPP-P, PML-N and MMA are presently anti-Musharraf parties, the presence of their candidates in the same constituencies will divide negative vote against Musharraf, which is a source of satisfaction for the PML-QA.
Punjab with 149 of total 272 National Assembly seats is going to be a real battle field of elections with PPP-P and PML-QA challenging each other and PML-N and MMA playing the role of spoilers mostly for the PML-QA and rarely for the PPP-P.
Religious scholar-turned-politician Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehrik and a cricket’s play boy-turned-philanthropist-turned-politician Imran Khan’s Tehrik-e-Insaf are also in the run but their role does not seem more than Habib Bank’s child share holder of the ‘mela bhee to hai’ fame.
A total 24 political have fielded their candidates for National Assembly seats of the Punjab. The PPP-P has fielded maximum number of 137 candidates, the PML-QA’s are 131, the PML-N’s 108, the MMA’s 92, the PTI’s 47, the PAT’s 45, the National Alliance (NA)'s 33, GDA’s 14 and PML-Z’s 11. Several others are also in the run.
Now when the anti-PPP-P votebank appears to be badly divided, the PPP-P’s votebank seems not only intact but has also been charged in many areas due to certain reasons despite lack of political mobilization and absence of any charismatic campaigner on the election scene.
Now all it depends on the polling strategy of the candidates and their capacity to get their votes polled. In this area, the QA League has an edge over its opponents simply because its candidates are better than other parties. They are wealthier, more experienced and more influential than their opponents. They have also support of district government in most of the areas.
Furthermore, if the PPP-P voter is charged due to government’s opposition, the QA League supporter looks to be enthusiastic because of the firm belief that his party is going to form the next government at least in the Punjab and may be in center and some other provinces. He is also confident to win because of government’s support for his party. The QA leadership seems successful in creating impression that the next one is its turn to form the government.
There are a large number of voters who say that they are not going for those who have limited chances to form the government. Due to lack of any issue-based politics or absence of national level leadership, the voter’s priority is how to improve civic conditions around him and how to get his/her personal problems solved. The answer is the candidate of the party which is going to form next government.
This writer was surprised when some old age and illiterate voters of poor background told him that they would vote for Mian Azhar in NA-118 so as to get work on under-construction development projects completed. A similar sentiment was found in Southern and Central parts of the Punjab, where this writer interacted with a large number of voters. If happens so, it must not be difficult to guess the direction of next phase of democracy.
ISLAMABAD: Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party, Benazir Bhutto, has said Thursday was crucial for banishing military dictatorship forever from the country. She urged the people to vote for PPP Parliamentarians’ candidates for the realisation of their dream of economic emancipation, security and peace in the region.
“I will be present in the midst of my countrymen on the polling day with the symbol of arrow and I urge you to join hands to defeat the tyrants and the anti-people forces,” the former prime minister said in a statement on Wednesday. She said there has been “unprecedented pre-poll rigging”, reducing the whole exercise to a stunt.
She said while she had been dubbed by the government as a security risk, the people should join hands today and give a crushing blow to those who posed real threat to the security of the country by pursuing failed and anti-people policies of “strategic depth in Afghanistan”, that made both the borders of Pakistan insecure.
Benazir said it was time for the nation to decide whether they wanted to be ruled by generals, who wanted to give Constitutions through press conferences or by the elected leaders of the masses in accordance with the Constitution unanimously agreed to by all provinces and political parties.
“Let all the patriotic people of Pakistan whether peasants, labourers, soldiers, lawyers, teachers, civil servants, intellectuals, professionals, traders or ordinary people decide whether their future and the future of their children is safe in the hands of ambitious generals accountable to none or it is safe in the hands of their elected representatives answerable to the rule of law, the Constitution and above all to the people,” she said.
The former prime minister also cautioned the polling agents to be extra vigilant to defeat the “regime’s design” to rig the polls. She asked the polling agents to take coloured markers to sign on the empty ballot boxes and if not permitted then to stay and watch all the time the ballot boxes and not to take any break during the election process so that the regime’s plan to rig the elections could be defeated. She warned the regime against rigging on the polling day saying that there will be a deluge of public anger if the people were robbed of their right to freely choose their representatives.
RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister and Patron of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday urged the masses to vigorously take part in the polling process and elect the “right and sincere candidates.”
In a message read by his son Hasan Nawaz in his telephonic press conference here, Nawaz Sharif directed party workers and polling agents to foil all the attempts of “rigging the general elections 2002”.
He urged the polling agents not to allow anybody to change ballot and leave polling stations only after getting results verified by presiding officers.
He alleged the government has become a party and has run an advertisement campaign in newspapers, which is against all norms of civilisation. “None of the governments in the history of Pakistan used such filthy tactics,” he said. He asked the masses to prove that PML-N can produce the 1997-like results. “No power in the world can change your decision given through the vote,” he said.
Criticising the policies of the government, Nawaz Sharif said the Constitution had “become a toy” in the hands of the government; people had been separated from all the decision-making processes; population of poor had increased by 16 million, adding that independence and solidarity has fell into jeopardy.
Replying to a question about prospects of the PML-N in elections, he said that the PML-N still stood among masses and it would bag majority in parliament if elections were held in a fair and transparent way. “We believe the government is not sincere in holding fair and free elections after ousting political leaders like Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto,” he said.
To a question as to why the PML-N did not boycott polls amid concerns of rigging, Hasan Nawaz said that they could not registered their concern and protest by staying away from elections. He said that Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan when he would feel that time was high to do so. “In the present scenario, it is better for him to give guideline to the party from outside the country instead of remaining behind the bars,” he said.
To another question, he denied that Nawaz Sharif had struck a deal with the government. “The government should make the documents of that deal public if it was right.” About the ouster of Nawaz Sharif government, he said that October 12, 1999, coup was not a counter-coup, rather it was planned, which involved many issues like the Kargil battle.
ISLAMABAD - General Pervez Musharraf late Wednesday amended the controversial Legal Framework Order (LFO) which states that all successful independent candidates may join political parties of their choice within three days of announcement of official election results.
The election results will be consolidated from Oct 12 to Oct 15, according to a recent announcement made by the Election Commission. This implies that the winning independent candidates have times till Oct 18 to join any political party of their choice.
“The total number of general seats won by a political party shall include the independent returned candidates who may join such political party within three days of the publication in the official gazette of the names of the returned candidates,” proclaimed the amended LFO.
“Since returned candidates have been given just three days, with no other choice but to join political parties, hence the application of new amendment would be mandatory upon the these candidates,” said Hashmat Habib, advocate of the Supreme Court.
With this amendment, parliamentarians and members of provincial assemblies would not be able to continue in independent capacity, according to a legal expert.
While amending Article 63 of the Constitution, LFO contemplates that a person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as Member of Parliament, if he is disqualified from being elected or chosen as a Member of Parliament or provincial assembly under any law for the time being in force.
Another amendment brought in the LFO gives three additional years to judges of the high courts and Supreme Court in their existing tenure. “The judges of Supreme Court shall hold office until they attain the age of 68 years and judges of high courts until the attainment of age of 65 years. Earlier, High Court judges were retired at the age of 63 and justices of Supreme Court at the age of 65.
The minimum age limit for appointment of a judge of High Court has also been increased by five years. Under the amended LFO, “a person shall not be appointed as judge of a High Court unless he has attained the age of 45 years.”
Several attempt were made in the recent past by various elected and unelected governments to increase the tenure of the judges by three years which were foiled by Bar councils and lawyers.
The latest move which remained in hibernation for months materialised just few hours before the holding of the general elections when the lawyers community is engaged together with political parties as well as separately in contesting and monitoring the electoral process which the detractors of the military government apprehend might be rigged.
LAHORE–The nation will vote today (Thursday) to elect twelfth National Assembly. The first National Assembly in the country’s history was elected by the Muslim of British India in 1946—a year before the creation of Pakistan.
In 1951, elections were held for the Punjab Assembly and in 1953 for the East Pakistan. The members of those assemblies elected the members of National Assembly and the indirectly elected members constituted assembly in 1954.
This second National Assembly of a newly created Islamic state formulated the committee for the Constitution. The assembly gave the first Constitution to the country in 1956 which was abrogated by the then military chief Ayub Khan.
The political parties held a conference attended by 46 delegates from the East and West Pakistan, Malik Feroz Khan Noon in chair, and agreed on the first direct elections but this could not be happened.
In 1958, Field Marshal Ayub Khan took over the charge of the country and became the chief executive. Ayub Khan introduced the system of Basic Democracy in the country and representatives were elected on ward basis. These BD members elected the third assembly of the country in 1962.
The Field Marshal was elected as president in 1964 by the BD members defeating Mohatarma Fatima Jinnah. The people still doubt the results of that elections. In the same period the BD members elected once again the fourth National Assembly.
The first ever direct election to the assemblies were held in 1970 by Marshal Law Administrator, General Yahya khan. It was the first election in the Country’s history when the common man was given right to elect his representatives. It was the fifth assembly of the country.
Mr Bhutto took charge as the country’s head on December 20, 1971 but the provincial assemblies were formed in 1972. Balochistan people elected their first assembly in 1970 elections.
The next elections to elect the sixth assembly were held in 1977 resulting a strong agitation by the opposition parties. As a result of the movement, Marshal Law was once again imposed in the country by General Zia ul Haq and the assemblies could work only for a few months.
The nation elected its seventh assembly in 1985. The elections were held on non party basis and Muhammad Khan Junejo was elected as leader of the house. This assembly was dissolved in 1988 by General Zia-ul-Haq.
General Zia died in a plane crash on August 17, 1988 and Senate Chairman, Ghulam Ishaq Khan took the charge of the office of president and the nation elected eighth national assembly in the same year.
As a result of these elections, PPP formed government n the Centre and Benazir Bhutto was sworn in as the first lady prime minister of the country. Benazir government was dismissed by President Ishaq Khan on corruption charges in 1990.
The nation elected ninth assembly in 1990 and Nawaz Sharif of IJI-an alliance of different political parties-became the prime minister. The assembly was dissolved and the government was dismissed once again by the then President Ghulam Ishaq in 1993. The Nawaz moved the apex court and his government was restored by the Supreme Court.
But Nawaz could not work as the Centre-Provinces relations were at the worst level. Nawaz and Ishaq both had to go resultantly and elections were held in 1993. The nation elected 10th assembly and Benazir Bhutto, once again became prime minister of the country.
Her government was again dismissed by the then president, Farooq Leghari-an old worker and leader of PPP.
The nation elected 11th assembly in 1997 and Nawaz Sharif, second time took over the charge of prime ministership. His government was ended in 1999 as a result of military coup and Pervez Musharraf, the army chief, became the Chief Executive, Chairman National Security Council and President of the country.
It is pertinent to mention here that no assembly could complete its tenure after 1985.
The military ruler is holding elections on party basis and the nation is going to elect 12th assembly today.
Polls have opened in Pakistan in the first parliamentary elections since President Pervez Musharraf seized power in a coup three years ago.
Voting got off to a slow start in the capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere, with little activity reported at many of the 65,000 polling stations across the country.
But rival party supporters clashed at a polling station in the southern province of Sindh, where one man was killed and two others were injured.
On Wednesday, General Musharraf promised that the elections would be free and fair.
But political opponents and human rights groups have accused the Pakistani Government of rigging the vote through intimidation and harassment.
Opinion polls have indicated a close race between former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the newly-formed pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), probably resulting in a hung parliament.
Musharraf pledge
Nearly 72 million Pakistanis are eligible to vote for the new national assembly and four provincial assemblies.
Musharraf has been accused of manipulating the elections
The institutions were suspended, then disbanded, by General Musharraf after he took power in a bloodless coup in 1999.
The president promised to restore the assemblies and build “genuine democracy”, charging the four previous civilian governments with corruption and mismanagement.
In a nationwide address on the eve of polling, the general promised to relinquish the post of chief executive and “transfer full executive powers to the prime minister”.
But, he added, he would retain important powers, such as being able to dismiss parliament.
‘Sham’ democracy
Critics and independent observers have accused General Musharraf of ensuring real power remains in his hands.
The president pushed through a number of reforms in his favour before the elections and he blocked Mrs Bhutto and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from standing as candidates.
Bhutto has been barred from standing
General Musharraf’s term as president was also extended by five years to 2007 in a controversial referendum, .
The US-based Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday that “Pakistan has witnessed a consolidation of military power rather than a transition to democracy” in the three years since General Musharraf’s coup.
The BBC’s Susannah Price in Islamabad says the election campaign was dominated by President Musharraf, even though he is not running for office.
The president imposed stringent restrictions on when and where political rallies could be held and disqualified scores of opposition candidates.
The opposition parties have also accused the president and the military of backing the PML-Q - the so-called King’s Party - at the expense of the PPP and Mr Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).
With neither main party likely to win outright, the PPP and the PML-Q are expected to engage in political haggling after the election to try to form a majority with smaller parties and independent candidates.
Voting is not compulsory and political forecasters said turnout at the polls was likely to be low.