KARACHI, Aug 28: With the completion of the filing of nomination papers, the first phase of the scheduled October 10 elections has been completed. The process of institutionalized politics has been set in motion, and until the finalization of scrutiny of the nomination papers, the initiative of political parties to gear up their activities appeared acquiescent.
This period has provided party leaders an opportunity to chart out their strategies in accordance with newly laid down rules for launching the election campaigns of their candidates. As per the government announcement, political parties would be free to carry out political activities from September 1 in accordance with the code of conduct, and within the parameters laid down by the government, which prohibit the holding of rallies and meetings on roads, streets, railway stations and other public places.
The relaxation on the ban in carrying out outdoor political activities has helped in dispelling speculation about the postponement of the elections, which have been in circulation in political circles, owing to the continuation of the ban on launching election campaigns.
There is no doubt that the political atmosphere is likely to be crystal clear after Sept 14 — which is the last date for the withdrawal of candidates. The situation that emerges from the nominations leads to the conclusion that except for the Mutahida Majlis-i-Amal (an electoral alliance of six religious political parties), the Mutahida Qaumi Movement, and to an extent the PPP (Parliamentarians), none of the other mainstream political parties have done their homework to meet the electoral challenge.
The confusion that appeared in the rank and file of the Pakistan People’s Party over party tickets was due to the sudden and surprising decision of the party high command to apply for registration not as the PPP, but as PPP (Parliamentarians) under the leadership of Makhdoom Amin Faheem, who also holds the office of Senior Vice Chairman of the PPP led by Benazir Bhutto.
What the imperatives were for the registration of the PPP with the addition of Parliamentarians is yet to be clarified. But according to PPP circles, the decision to get the party registered under the new nomenclature was taken in view of the hostile attitude of the present regime towards the party — its leadership in particular.
Besides the PPP, the other party which failed to come up to the expectations of its supporters was the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), either owing to the defection of prominent leaders of the party to form a parallel body in the name of PML (Quaid-i-Azam) led by Mian Mohammad Azhar, or due to the demoralizing effects of the repeated drum up drive by the military rulers of not allowing any members of the Nawaz family to enter Pakistan for politicking or otherwise, as they had left the country under an agreement not to return for 10 years.
The Election Commission — despite accusations of being partial and demands for its reconstitution by almost all important political parties — came to the rescue of these parties by accepting their request to relax the rule of submitting the party ticket along with the nomination papers. This relaxation helped the parties (sought after for party tickets by aspiring candidates) as the parties, instead of issuing tickets to all aspirants, had asked them to file nomination papers from the constituencies, which suited them, as the decision of awarding the party ticket could be settled after the scrutiny of papers.
Without the relaxation of this rule, there were apprehensions in almost all mainstream political organizations that, as there was no provision in the election rules for filing covering candidates, there was a possibility that if the nominee of the party during the scrutiny of papers was disqualified, the constituency would go unrepresented by the party, despite having a strong base in the particular constituency.
After the above amendment in the Representation Act, 1976, the pace of efforts of political parties to strike a deal with like minded parties for the adjustment on a constituency to constituency basis came almost to a halt presently.
According to PML(N) Vice President Mian Ejaz Shafi, the local adjustment process would now be taken up after scrutiny of nomination papers, when the situation in each constituency will be clear about the final candidates in the field whose list, according to the election schedule, would be published on Sept 15.
At present, the party leadership appeared to be seized with finalizing the strategy of its election campaign within the limits of the code of conduct, which debars processions and the use of any other individuals land, building or compound for erecting flags, banners or posters without his permission.
KARACHI, Aug 28: With the completion of the filing of nomination papers, the first phase of the scheduled October 10 elections has been completed. The process of institutionalized politics has been set in motion, and until the finalization of scrutiny of the nomination papers, the initiative of political parties to gear up their activities appeared acquiescent.
