The Hindu : PPP complains to Commonwealth chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 12, 2002

International

International

PPP complains to Commonwealth chief

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD AUG. 11. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by the former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, fears that the "hurdles" being created by the Musharraf regime might make it ``difficult'' for the party to contest the October elections.

In a letter to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don McKinnon, the party complained against the "steps" taken by the military regime to stop Ms. Bhutto from participating in the polls.

The Central Coordinator of the Human Rights Cell of the PPP, Fauzia Wahab, said: "During the last one month alone they have promulgated five ordinances, which were essentially discriminatory towards the PPP and aimed at sidelining Ms. Bhutto."

The PPP chose to wrote to Mr. Mckinnon after the Pakistan Government took exception to some comments on the elections attributed to him in a report in the Financial Times, London. The military regime told Mr. McKinnon to mind his ``language and business".

The letter said the PPP, "being a responsible political party", fulfilled all "cumbersome requirements" under the new laws.

The regime, however, "has come out with another trick to create hurdles and that is the re-allocation of the election symbol".

It has asked the political parties to submit their application for election symbols.

Apprehending that these might make it difficult for the PPP to contest the elections, Ms. Wahab wrote: "We would like to remind you that from 1970 onwards, the PPP had `sword' as their symbol under which the party won two elections in 1970 and 1977. But the then Election Commission of the military regime of Zia-ul-Haq cancelled that symbol and allocated the `arrow' symbol in 1988. The Pakistan People's Party contested four elections under the symbol."

The party said the `arrow' symbol was associated with the PPP and that it was considered its copyright.

"After 14 years, our party is being faced with another disturbing situation. We apprehend that the Election Commission would again change our symbol and create hurdles for our voters. In this connection, the Chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, has written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of which we are sending you a copy," the letter said.

Formalities aplenty for

aspirant candidates

Lawyers in Pakistan can expect lucrative business in the weeks ahead as the candidates of various parties and Independents gear up to file their nomination paper for the October election to the National and Provincial Assemblies.

Thanks to the new rules prescribed by the Musharraf Government, the candidates are required to file so many declarations and fulfil so many formalities that the new nomination paper finalised by the Pakistan Election Commission is perhaps the only one of its kind any where in the world.

Every candidate would have to file a statement specifying his educational qualifications, occupation, National Identity Card number and National Tax Number, if any, along with attested copies. Under the new rules graduation is the minimum qualification to be a candidate for either National or Provincial Assembly and Senate.

For the first time the candidates would have to file a statement of his/her assets and liabilities and those of his/her spouse and dependents as on the preceding 30th day of June.

This issue has been a subject of intense debate in India after the Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission to ensure declaration of assets and liabilities by candidates in the elections.

The new nomination form finalised by the Pakistan Election Commission makes it mandatory on the part of a candidate to file a declaration that he/she has consented to the nomination and that he/she fulfils the qualifications specified in Article 62 and is not subject to any of the disqualification specified in Article 63 or any other law for the time being in force for being elected as member.

The Musharraf regime has amended Article 62 and 63 of the suspended constitution prescribing the qualification and disqualification of candidates. Introduction of graduation clause and disqualification of convicted person are part of the changes made.

The candidates also have to make a declaration that no loan for an amount of two million rupees or more, obtained from any bank, financial institution, cooperative society or corporation body in his/her own name or in the name of his/her spouse or any of their dependents, or any business concern mainly owned by him or the aforesaid; stands unpaid for more than one year from the due date, or has got such loan written off.

Take a look at this declaration wherein the candidates would have to swear that he, his spouse or any of his dependents or a business concern mainly owned by him or the aforesaid, is not in default in payment of government dues or utility charges, including telephone, electricity, gas and water charges of an amount in excess of ten thousand rupees, for over six months, at the time of filing of nomination papers.

The candidates are required to make a declaration about his party affiliation, if any, along with a certificate from the political party showing that he is a party candidate from the constituency for which nomination papers are being filed.

The terms `loan', `mainly owned' and `taxes' and `Government dues and utility charges' have been defined in the explanation appearing below amended Section 12(2) of the Representation of the people Act, 1976.

It would no ordinary task for the candidates to understand the meaning and implications of each of the term.

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PPP complains to Commonwealth chief