KARACHI, 6 July: The Karachi Co-ordination Committee of the Pakistan Peoples' Party, in its meeting held at the Bilawal House on Tuesday, took serious notice of the alleged violation of electoral laws , besides what it called the 'highhandedness' of provincial administration ahead of the scheduled by-elections in NA-229, Tharparkar.

The meeting, presided over by Syed Qaim Ali Shah and attended by Sindh PPP president Nisar Khuro, Nawab Yousuf Talpur, Senator Safdar Abbasi, Prof N D Khan, Taj Haider, Aftab Shah Jilani, Dr Mahesh Milani, Haji Ghulam Muhammad and Engr Gayan Chand, alleged that Mr Shaukat Aziz, besides being a US citizen, was also holding the post of senior minister in the federal cabinet.

Observing that the Constitution had no provision to allow the citizens of other countries to contest election for any seat in the country, the meeting viewed that existing electoral laws clearly barred those persons who occupy any cabinet posts, from contesting polls for any seat without resigning from their posts.

A few members of the then cabinet had resigned from their posts in 2002, in order to become candidates in elections, the meeting observed. It reminded the government that in the recent by-elections, the Election Commission had barred the cabinet ministers from taking part in the election campaign or visiting polling stations.

While in the case of Mr Shaukat Aziz, prime minister, chief minister, cabinet ministers and others holding positions in the government were openly leading processions and addressing public meetings as early as at the time of filing nomination papers, besides using a large number of government vehicles and even helicopters, the meeting deplored.

The administration had already confiscated hundreds of private vehicles to be used in Mr Aziz's election campaign, the meeting alleged. The PPP coordination committee, condemning open flouting of election laws, demanded of the chief election commissioner to ensure that administration should stay completely neutral, the confiscated vehicles should be released and official vehicles should not be used in the campaign of the government candidate.

The meeting also condemned the threats of social boycott against the proposer and the seconder of the opposition candidates by the Sindh chief minister. -PPI