August 26, 2002	Monday	Jamadi-us-Saani 16,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 25: The acting secretary general of Pakistan People‘s Party, Mian Raza Rabbani, has apprised the Chief Election Commissioner of the support of the government for the candidates of the ‘king‘s party’ and urged him to take notice of the matter.

In a letter addressed to the CEC, Mian Rabbani wrote, “the Pakistan People‘s Party has continuously brought it to the notice of the Commission that the governor houses particularly in Sindh and Punjab have been virtually converted into the election offices for the candidates of the “king‘s party”.

The resources and machinery of the provincial administration are being used to put at serious disadvantage the contesting candidates being supported by the PPP, he said.

Apprising the CEC of the newspaper report he wrote: “on Aug 23, PML(QA) leaders Mian Muhammad Azhar, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Ellahi met at the Governor House, Punjab, to finalize their list of candidates. The newspaper cutting of the daily Dawn dated Aug 24 is attached and mark annexure-A”.

Asking the CEC to take notice of the government‘s illegal involvement in elections, Mian Rabbani wrote: “it is evident that when candidates are decided in the Governor House, then the result of the October elections particularly in the province of Punjab becomes a foregone conclusion. Such blatant support to a political party vitiates the atmosphere for free, fair and transparent elections”.