PESHAWAR, Nov 8: The Pakistan People's Party has asked the chief election commissioner to stop what it called the involvement of federal and provincial ministers in the by-election to NA-35, Malakand , seat which fell vacant after the death of Maulana Inayatur Rehman of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

The PPP parliamentary leader in the NWFP Assembly, Abdul Akbar Khan, talking to Dawn on Monday, accused both the governments of trying to influence the election process by doling out funds for development schemes.

He said Malakand had been a stronghold of the PPP since 1970. He said the party had lost the seat to the MMA for the first time in the last election.

He said the PPP had lodged its protest with the chief election commissioner and urged him to play his role and ensure holding of free, fair and transparent election. The CEC is aware of the ministers' activities in Malakand and he should take notice of the 'pre-poll rigging', the PPP leader stressed.

Ministers were running campaigns of their nominees and misleading the people by promising the execution of development schemes, he said.

He appealed to the CEC to order the expulsion of the federal and NWFP ministers from Malakand till Dec 15, the polling day.

He alleged that both the governments were working against the Election Order 2002, which barred them from influencing the by-election.

It was the duty of the CEC to take notice of the illegal activities of the ministers defying the election laws, he said.

He claimed that the PPP would win the election against the MMA and the Pakistan Muslim League.

Humayun Khan is the PPP's candidate in the by-election. His late father Hanif Khan had won the seat in the past.

The Jamaat-i-Islami and both factions of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam have put up their candidates. Former PPP leader Khwaja Khan Hoti had also fielded his candidate.