January 18, 2002	Friday	Ziqa'ad 3, 1422

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FAISALABAD, Jan 17: The Pakistan Muslim League has termed the government policies harmful for the national sovereignty and the federation.

Speaking at a news conference here on Thursday, Punjab PML general secretary Khwaja Saad Rafiq said the rulers had failed to resolve all the ticklish issues due to wrong steps taken on the ‘directions’ of foreign powers.

He said the government was trying to hold the general elections just to befool the politicians. He alleged that a rigging plan had already been made by the rulers to pave the way for its ‘favourites’.

Casting the government decision to appoint Irshad Hasan Khan as chief election commissioner, the PML leader said it was a clear violation of rules because not even a single political or religious party had agreed to this step.

He claimed that the present changes in the election procedure were also a conspiracy of the rulers and the joint electorate system would kick out minority candidates from the corridor of power because none of the minority leaders was in a position to defeat Muslim leaders.

He also condemned the ban on jihadi and religious outfits.

He said his party would announce the decision about talking part in the elections after the approval of the central working committee and Nawaz Sharif.

ANTI-POLIO CAMPAIGN: The next three-day round of anti-polio campaign will start on Jan 22 in Faisalabad district. Over 1.06 million children under five will be administered anti-polio vaccine.

This was stated at a meeting of the District Polio Eradication Committee held here on Thursday under the chairmanship of district coordination officer Tahir Husain to review arrangements for the campaign.

The meeting was told that 2,359 teams had been constituted by dividing the district into 40 zones for the purpose.