August 21, 2006	Monday	Rajab 25, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: The Pakistan People’s Party has decided to establish an ‘election management cell’ to monitor the elections schedule for 2007 and to prevent ‘rigging’.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the leaders of Pakistan People’s Party at the residence of Raja Pervez Ashraf here on Sunday.

The meeting was attended by Leader of Opposition in the Senate Senator Raza Rabbani, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Qasim Zia, and Leader of Opposition in Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khoro.

The meeting was called on the instructions of the party chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, to deliberate on the strategies to quell any effort by the ruling regime to rig the election.

The meeting took notice of President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s role in politics in view of a statement by the chief election commissioner that Gen Musharraf would not be allowed to take part in the political activities of any political party and nor would he be allowed to run election campaign of any party.

The meeting also took notice of a statement by a political party, an ally of the ruling regime, claiming that the decision of awarding the tickets in the elections would be taken by Gen Musharraf.

The participants demanded that the chief election commissioner should take measures to put an end to Gen Musharraf’s continued involvement in political activities of the ruling PML such as holding meetings party meetings in his office.

They also demanded that everyone reaching the age of 18 years at the time of elections should be allowed to cast their votes.

Online adds: Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has demanded of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to take notice of President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s participation in the public meetings of the ruling PML and its allied parties and the president be made bound not to take part in political activities.

The demand was voiced in a meeting of party leaders at the residence of party general secretary, Raja Pervez Ashraf, here on Sunday.