August 03, 2006	Thursday	Rajab 7, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Aug 2: Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday said that setting up an interim neutral government and winding up of the political wing of the Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI) were prerequisites for holding of free, fair and independent elections in the country.

The seminar ‘Free, fair elections: how can they be achieved’ was jointly organized by Milap, Gratis and US consulate in Peshawar at a local hotel.

NWFP president of People’s Party Parliamentarians Rahimdad Khan, Awami National Party vice-president Haji Mohammad Adeel, Qazi Mohammad Anwar, Leader of the Opposition in the NWFP Assembly Shahzada Mohammad Gustasip and others expressed doubts that the military government would hold free, fair and independent elections.

Syed Qamar Abbas of the PPP and Michael Spangler of the US consulate had sent their messages.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Khan categorised malpractices often carried out during the electoral process, which included rigging before the polls, on the polling day and post-poll.

He said one could not expect the present government of President Gen Pervez Musharraf to hold free, fair and impartial elections as was vivid from its track record of the presidential referendum, 2002 general elections, local government polls and the recent elections in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that the entire electoral process should be carried out under an interim and neutral setup on Bangladesh’s pattern. “Besides disbanding of ISI’s political wing, Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence should be barred from meddling in elections and putting together political parties. Any military or intelligence official found involved in election activities should be tried under criminal offence. Intelligence agencies should be stopped from operating election monitoring centres,” Mr Khan added.

He said the condition of graduation had disenfranchised a large number of people in the previous elections. In a country like Pakistan where literacy rate was very low, it was not fair to ban non-graduates from contesting elections, he added.

The PPP leader suggested that chief secretary and provincial police officer should be made answerable to the Election Commission of Pakistan instead of the government.

Haji Adeel said that the United States should not extend support to dictators, personnel of the armed forces should return to their barracks and an independent and powerful election commission should regulate the electoral process, if free, fair and independent elections were desired.

He said on the one hand the US endorsed even all the controversial policies of Gen Musharraf, on the other it pressed for free and fair elections.

He proposed a complete ban on posters and banners outside the polling stations and use of rented transport on the polling day.