Elections will be on party basis: Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 20. For the first time since the announcement of the `road map' to democracy, the Musharraf Government has come out with a categorical declaration that it has no intention to keep out political parties from the proposed elections to the national and provincial assemblies.

Silence on the issue had created apprehensions within and outside Pakistan about the intentions of the Musharraf regime. Among others, the United States had sought a clarification on the subject.

The decision not to allow representatives of parties to take part in the just-concluded elections to local bodies was one of the reasons for the doubts. Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi, press secretary to the President and Director-General of Inter- Services Public Relations (ISPR), deemed it necessary to clear the picture at a news conference in Hyderabad (in Sindh province) on Sunday.

Subsequently talking to the press at Karachi, he said the ban on `outdoor activities' would be lifted three months before the election schedule and parties would be allowed to campaign freely for the polls. However, what should be a matter of concern to mainstream parties as well as the international community is the announcement that the military Government would not allow those convicted under various charges to contest the elections.

The declaration would directly affect the two former Prime Ministers, Ms. Benazir Bhutto and Mr. Nawaz Sharif. Both the leaders are at the moment on exile. Ms. Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People's Party, has been talking for some time now about her intention to return to Pakistan and take part in the elections as and when they are held.

Maj. Gen. Quereshi justified the conduct of local elections on non-party basis on the ground that such polls in the past were also held on a similar basis. On the plan for devolution of powers at the grassroots level, he said the Government desired to solve the grievances of the people at the earliest and provide them early justice.

He said the elections had brought a significant change in leadership as many educated persons, most of them possessing higher degrees, had been elected as Nazims and Naib Nazims of the Union, Tehsil and Zila Councils. However, independent observers believe that an overwhelming majority who made it to the local bodies represented the same-old lobbies.

The Information Secretary, Mr. Anwar Mahmood, who was present on the occasion said the devolution was replacing the 150-year-old system and some complications in its implementation could not be ruled out.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Next     : Blast in Lahore market