ISLAMABAD, July 12: The federal government on Tuesday barred candidates participating in the forthcoming Local Government Elections from displaying President Pervez Musharraf’s photographs or posters to gain political mileage in their election campaign.

Taking notice of reports that some candidates were using photographs and banners containing images of the president, an official spokesman said that since the office of the president was in no way associated with the election campaign of any candidate, therefore the practice of using the president’s image should be discontinued forthwith.

This condition is likely to become part of the Code of Conduct for contesting candidates in the Local Government Elections 2005, which the Election Commission of Pakistan is releasing on Wednesday at 6:00pm.

A meeting of the commission, held here at the Election Commission of Pakistan, to finalize the draft Code of Conduct remained inconclusive and was adjourned for Wednesday.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar presided over the meeting.

Meanwhile, a reliable source told Dawn that the meeting discussed at length about suggestions to block cabinet ministers, intending to participate in the local government elections, from taking advantage of their official position in their electioneering.

The Local Government Ordinance does not restrict any public officers and members of the national as well as the provincial assemblies from contesting the local government polls, but it is silent on discouraging them from using their official position during the election campaign.

The source said that the idea among the commission’s top bosses was to bar such candidates through a strict code of conduct to ensure transparent elections by providing a level playing field to the candidates. This is why the commission is taking time to finalize the code of conduct, he said.