September 16, 2002	Monday	Rajab 8, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf and the People’s Party Parliamentarians have agreed to build consensus among the leading political parties on a one-point agenda to ensure free and fair general election.

A press release, issued by the PTI here on Sunday, said PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PPP President Makhdoom Amin Fahim had agreed at a meeting that the credibility of the October polls had been undermined by the unprecedented involvement of the government machinery to support what they called the “King’s Party”.

They said relatives of senior civil servants were contesting elections on the ticket of the “King’s Party” while local government functionaries were openly electioneering to support the candidates of the PML (QA).

Both the politicians alleged that development funds were flowing freely to those Nazimeen and Naib Nazimeen, who, they said, were supporting the “King’s Party”.

They expressed concern over what they called the partisan role of the election commission due to its selective application of rules and regulations.

Mr Fahim welcomed the initiative of Mr Khan to build political consensus on the critical issue of free and fair elections.

He said he would consult his colleagues in the ARD to share the details of his meeting with the PTI chief and would formulate the future course of action.

Mr Khan said he would consult Jamaat-i-Islami Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed to seek MMA’s cooperation for the one-point agenda of free poll.