August 9, 2002	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 29,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 8: The European Union electoral observation mission, headed by John Cushnahan, called on PPP acting secretary-general Mian Raza Rabbani and the party’s finance secretary, Ehsanul Haq Paracha, at the PPP central secretariat, here on Thursday.

The PPP delegation apprised the EU mission on its apprehension that the forthcoming elections will not be free, fair and transparent, says a party press release issued here on Thursday.

In this regard, they stated that the process of pre-poll rigging can be categorised into three categories: rigging through politics, rigging through law and rigging through administration.

They cited the specific examples like rigging through politics, they said repeated statements of the president that Benazir Bhutto will not be allowed in politics, creation of the SDA, creation of the National Alliance, support to the PML(Q) particularly in the Punjab, appointment of ministers in the Sindh cabinet belonging to political parties, sending of non-entities as envoys of the regime, sitting governors and ministers contesting polls.

The PPP leaders said application of the NAB law to the mainstream political party, PPP, promulgation of Benazir Bhutto-specific laws, to prevent her from taking part in politics are examples of rigging through law.

They said the following Benazir-specific laws have been promulgated: (a) Amendment to Section 31 of NAB Ordinance whereby non- appearance before a court has been made a convictable offence. (b) Conviction by Special Courts for her non-appearance, although her attorney was present. (c) The qualification to Hold Public Office Order, 2002, restricting any person from becoming the prime minister more than two times. (d) Amend to the Representation of Peoples Act, 1976, wherein conviction for non-appearance in a Court has been much a disqualification for contesting elections. (e) The promulgation of the Political Parties Order, 2002. Proposed Constitutional Amendments to Article 63 that a person convicted for non-appearance in court cannot contest the elections.

They said that the returning officers have been empowered to reject candidate papers; and voter lists are being made by Nadra and not by the Election Commission.