ISLAMABAD, Jan 7: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has urged President Pervez Musharraf not to support any political party or group in his public meetings, statements and speeches.

“Since the office of president is a symbol of unity of the state, the holder of the office cannot act partisan at any time,” said the background paper prepared by the Citizen’s Group on Electoral Process (CGEP) of the Pildat.

The CGEP on Monday issued a proposed election code of conduct for adoption by Election Commission and political parties, urging them to agree on a set of rules for the Feb 18 general election. “The president shall not make any statement which defies or impinges on the legal and constitutional right of any Pakistani citizen to contest elections,” it said, adding that the president shall not attend any public meeting, rally or congregation to be organised for the benefit of a political party or alliance.

The president, the CGEP believed, should also not promise or announce any special or preferential package or programme from public funds for any constituency or area.

The citizen group also called upon the government to make nazims “non-functional” with effect from the date of announcing the election schedule till the finalisation of election results.

It suggested the administrators belonging to the civil bureaucracy should be appointed during the period when nazims and naib nazims are made non-functional.

Also the administrators of the local government should ensure that the government’s transport, machinery and personnel were not used for the furtherance of the interest of a candidate or a political party.

Similarly, the government buildings and premises (offices, schools, hospital and accommodation and their grounds, lawns and open spaces) should not be used or allowed to be used as a campaign office or for holding any public meeting.

No advertisement, notice or announcement paid from public funds shall carry the explicit or implicit reference, name, designation or photo of any public functionary or holder of the state’s public office to project him/her as the organiser, sponsor, and promoter of any scheme.