KARACHI, Sept 6: Most of the political parties, which qualify for participation in the Oct 10 elections, have been facing fund raising problem of how to meet electioneering expenditures of their candidates.

Under the election rules the election commission has allowed a candidate of National Assembly to keep his expenditure upto Rs 1.5 million while a provincial assembly candidate can spend on his electioneering upto Rs 1 million only.

Besides limiting the expenditures by candidates, the election commission has also made it obligatory on the candidate to account for expenses even if incurred by supporters in any form cash or service on behalf of the candidate.

The contesting candidate would also have to submit the expenses of the elections within 30 days of the announcement of the results.

According to insiders in political parties, in the past it was always the election time when different organizations and supporters having their own interest or under the influence of the party used to give donations and in some cases procured services on behalf of the candidate or the party in lieu of favour after coming into power.

This situation does not exist any more after enforcement of the new election rules and code of conduct of the election commission.

According to the rule 49 of the election commission, no person other than the candidate shall incur any election expenses of such candidate provided that where any person incurs any election expenses on behalf of such candidate whether for stationery, postage, telegrams, advertisements, transports or for any other item whatsoever, such expenses shall be deemed to be the election expenses incurred by the candidate himself.

A candidate shall through bills, receipts and other documents vouch for every payment made in respect of election when the amount is less than Rs 500.

A statement of all money securities or equivalent of money received from or spent by any person for the benefit of the candidate, specifying the name of every such person, will have to be submitted.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Senior Vice President Ejaz Shafi said that in view of fears of victimization from government agencies, donors were not coming forward to bail out parties who were opposing the government.

He said in view of the condition that the party or the candidate had to account for each and every donation specifying the name of the donor, they apprehend that the donors would be chased by agencies sleuths. They were even not sure of holding election on the due date. Some of them were of the opinion that the fate of election would be decided on the outcome of Gen Pervez Musharraf’s scheduled visit to USA where he would have an opportunity to meet President Bush.

Muttahida Majlise Amal Karachi President Hafiz Muhammad Taqui, who is also a MMA candidate from NA-243, said that it was strange that parties who opt for coercion and bhatta were free to collect fund for electioneering while the parties who used to run their election campaigns from voluntarily offered donations were being discouraged.

He said in Pakistan it had always been the practice to ask the supporters to contribute or extend services of transport, banners, and meet food other expenditures of the workers of the candidate. But, asking the candidate to specify the name of donors or procurer of services to the candidate in the return of election expenses would tantamount to his embarrassment and no one would like to give any candidate contesting against the candidate of kings party for fear of victimisation..

Hafiz Taqui said that except a few cases where candidates were affluent or parties with accumulated funds, no candidate could afford all its expense on his own as in the October scheduled elections most of the candidates fielded by parties other than those which were in power till recently were from middle or lower middle class.

In reply to another question he said that MMA was finalising the second phase of the “MMA train march” from Lahore to Karachi via Multan. He said that central leadership of the alliance was due in Karachi on Sunday and all preparations had been made to accord warm welcome to their leaders.

Meanwhile, MMA leaders reviewed the offer of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) for adjustment of seats in different NA and PA constituencies and extending cooperation to each other against candidates of the Kings party.

They also discussed possibilities of seeking support from other smaller parties.