ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: The government on Tuesday lifted the ban on political activities with effect from Sept 1, allowing political parties 39 days for election campaign before polling, scheduled to be held on Oct 10.

Announcing the decision, the government over-ruled the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission and maintained restriction on rallies and processions.

“Rallies and processions on roads, streets, railway stations, etc., shall not be allowed as part of the political activity,” said the order issued by the federal government.

Earlier, the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission had said that processions and public rallies would be allowed during the election campaign but specified certain conditions for holding such rallies so that it could not disrupt the normal public life.

For the public meeting too a number of conditions were spelt out in the order, which the political parties would have to observe in their election campaign.

Advance permission from the district and provincial governments for holding such gatherings would have to be sought by the political parties and the candidates, so that the campaign could progress in an orderly manner.

“Political meeting shall only be organized at places or areas specified by the district and provincial governments in order to prevent public inconvenience and to maintain normal public life. No traffic disruption and hindrance shall be allowed,” it added.

It further said the time, place and other details of meetings would be decided by the district and provincial governments in consultation with the political party concerned well in advance and ordinarily no deviation in the agreed programme should be allowed.

The restrictions, it said have been imposed to ensure peaceful and uninterrupted conduct of general elections and to avoid inconvenience to the general public.

The political activities in the country were banned by President Gen Pervez Musharraf soon after takeover on Oct 12, 1999. During this period the country barring only a few the country did not see any major political activity.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf in his recent press conference had said that processions and rallies would not be allowed during the election campaign.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had announced that a train march would be launched from Rawalpindi on Aug 28 which had reportedly been disallowed by the government.

The Chief Election Commissioner Justice Irshad Hassan Khan last year as the Chief Justice of Pakistan had taken suo motu notice of the ban on political activities. The court had also sought an explanation from the government for keeping a ban. However the case is still pending before the apex court.

13,663 papers filed: The Election Commission said here on Tuesday that it had received 13,663 nomination papers for 1,070 national and provincial assemblies seats.

An EC announcement said that 4,020 nomination papers had been received for 342 National Assembly seats and 9,643 for 728 provincial assemblies seats.

The returning officers have started scrutiny of the nomination papers and only those candidates who met the required qualifications would be permitted to contest elections.

Fifty-one nomination papers have been filed for the two National Assembly seats from Islamabad. For 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims, 52 nomination papers have been filed.

From Punjab, which has a share of 183 seats in the 342-member house, 1,920 nomination papers have been filed. Out of these, 1,715 have been filed for 148 general seats and 209 for 35 reserved seats for women.

Similarly, Sindh, which has a share of 75 seats in the National Assembly, 1,038 nomination papers have been filed. Of them, 946 papers have been filed for 61 general seats and 92 for 14 women seats.

In the NWFP, which has a share of 47 seats in the lower house of the parliament, 711 nomination papers have been filed. For 35 general seats, 662 nomination papers have been filed, while the remaining 49 are for eight women seats.

Balochistan, whose share in the National Assembly is 17, only 244 nomination papers have been filed. Out of which, 215 have been filed for 14 general seats, and the remaining 29 are for three women seats.

For 728 provincial assemblies seats, 9,643 nomination papers have been filed. Out of which, 8,488 are for 577 general seats; 913 for 128 seats reserved for women and 247 nominations have been filed for 23 seats reserved for non-Muslims.

For the 371-member Punjab Assembly, 4,667 nomination papers have been filed. Out of which, 4,104 have been filed for 297 general seats; 476 for 66 seats reserved for women and 87 for eight non-Muslim seats.

For the 168-member Sindh Assembly, 2,703 nomination papers have been filed. Of these, 2,377 papers have been filed for 130 general seats, 243 for 29 reserved seats for women and 95 for nine seats reserved for non-Muslims.