EC unable to ensure fair polls: PML

Published September 7, 2002

ISLAMABAD, Sept 6: Pakistan Muslim League on Friday told European Union observers that the government is using different tactics for installing a “rubber stamp” parliament through an engineered election.

PML Chairman Raja Zafarul Haque, in a meeting with the observers’ chief, John Cushnahan, expressed his apprehension that the government would stuff ballot boxes.

The PML chairman said the Election Commission was not powerful enough to ensure fair, free and impartial elections and check government’s interference and manipulation.

He said the orders passed by the chief election commissioner imposing a ban on transfer and posting of government officials, particularly those in administration at local level and police, were being flouted by the government.

He said the government was carrying out transfers at a massive scale to put the rulers’ confidants at places where they wanted to block success of opposition leaders and ensure success of the candidates of the “king’s party.”

He alleged that candidates of PML (Quaid-i-Azam) and other pro-government groups were being interviewed by the provincial governors, chief secretaries, inspectors-general of police and other government officials for issuance of tickets.

He informed the EU observer that the government had arranged fake degrees from religious institutions for pro-government candidates who lacked the educational qualification for contesting the elections.

PML Secretary-General Saranjam Khan said the government was providing development funds running into millions of rupees to the candidates of its favourite parties.

He said the opposition parties were not allowed to use loudspeakers at their public and corner meetings.

PML Information Secretary Siddiqul Farooque was also present.

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