The Hindu : Rules for Pak. political parties notified

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 25, 2002

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International

Rules for Pak. political parties notified

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD July 24. Pakistan's Election Commission (EC) today formally notified the Political Parties Rules, 2002 in conformity with the changes made by the Musharraf Government to the original Act and said it expected the parties to comply in two weeks.

Political parties intending to contest the October elections have little option but to obey the orders. Otherwise they would not be eligible for a party symbol.

It is indeed a Herculean task for all parties given the sweeping changes made by the military Government, and the leaders of the two largest parties — the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) — could be in trouble.

Under the new rules, any person convicted by a court of a law for a criminal offence and declared a proclaimed offender or absconder would not be qualified to hold party posts. The former Prime Ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, who head the PPP and the PML respectively, would have to vacate their posts as they attract provisions of the new law.

Leaders of the PPP and the PML are burning the proverbial midnight oil to overcome the legal challenges posed by the law.

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Rules for Pak. political parties notified