LAHORE, June 28: The Political Parties Ordinance 2002 issued by the president is aimed at giving parties desirous of taking part in the elections time to hold their own elections in accordance with their respective constitutions, Federal Law Minister Dr Khalid Ranjha said here on Friday.

Talking  to Dawn, he said parties which had already completed their elections would be required to submit details of their office-bearers as well as accounts to the chief election commissioner. Such parties, he emphasized, would have to prove that they had held their elections strictly in accordance with their constitutions.

The minister made it clear that the government would not supervise  the election of any political party nor would it interfere with its internal matters. The parties would complete the process on their own. The Election Commission would only verify that everything had been done according to the party constitution.

Asked about an election for life, as in the case of Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, the law minister said the party would have to prove that it was in accordance with the party constitution. “They have to prove that the election process was as per their constitution.”

Asked whether a person staying out of the country was eligible of being  elected as president of a party, the  minister the matter would be examined in the light of the constitution of the party concerned. Most of the parties have already held their elections.

The Pakistan Muslim League had re-elected Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif as its president on May 28 last year. The day coincided with the third anniversary of the nuclear tests carried out by Pakistan.

At the same meeting, the appointment of Raja Zafarul Haq as chairman and Saranjaam Khan as secretary-general was approved.

Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) elected Mian Mohammad Azhar as its president on March 25 last year at a meeting in Islamabad.

The PML (Functional) elected Pir Pagara as its president less than four months ago. The Pir offered his resignation at a meeting of the party and the participants re-elected him for five years within 35 minutes.

On March 4, 1999, Benazir Bhutto was elected life chairperson of the PPP. Before that she had shared the post with her mother Nusrat Bhutto. Party leaders say that the PPP would not face any problem in holding party elections within the time limit set by the presidential order.

Jamaat-i-Islami elects its Amir for five years. Qazi Husain Ahmed was re-elected for a term in 1999. Party sources say that according to the procedure provided in the party constitution, the election of the Amir takes about three months to complete.

The Awami National Party holds its elections after every four years. Its next elections are due in the first quarter of 2003.