ISLAMABAD, Aug 28: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has asked the Chief Election Commissioner, Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, to take notice of the of violation of election laws by the government to rig the elections.
She drew the attention of the CEC to the suggestions by the PPP to the government to induct a national consensus government to ensure a fair administration; transfer power to the judiciary for the holding of elections as in Bangladesh; replace the politically-motivated officials with neutral ones.
Bhutto, in a letter addressed to the CEC, has referred to the report published in South Asia Tribune dated Aug 26.
“I draw your attention to the report in the South Asian Tribune (Aug 26-Sept 1, 2002 — copy enclosed) which discloses the pre-electoral rigging taking place in violation of the Constitution and laws of the land. The PPP had earlier stated the need to replace politically motivated officers with a neutral administration.
“The continuation of the politically motivated officials affects the fairness of the elections and subverts the will of the one hundred and forty million people of Pakistan. The confidence in the electoral process can be restored by concrete steps failing which
the electoral turnout could be low as voters boycott a process with pre-judged conclusions.”
The South Asian Tribune obtained evidence from top Pakistani bureaucrats visiting the United States about Musharraf regime’s plan to rig the elections, she pointed out.
