LAHORE, Aug 18: Heads of the parties in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy are meeting here on Monday to discuss the election schedule and the alleged difficulties the government has created for political parties to put up their candidates.
Preparations made by the coalition partners will also be discussed.
Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan will preside. ARD Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and leaders of various alliance components have already reached the provincial metropolis.
The meeting is being held at a time when the government has yet to announce the final package of constitutional amendments. As a result, the ARD leaders don’t know the amendments the military regime would enforce immediately and the ones which it would leave for the next parliament.
The ARD is of the view that no individual is competent to amend the constitution.
Meanwhile, PPP Parliamentarians Chairman Makhdoom Amin Faheem called on the ARD president on Sunday and briefed him about his Saturday meeting with President Pervez Musharraf.
The two leaders said it was strange that while the election schedule had been announced, the government was still reluctant to lift the ban on political activity. If the ban was not lifted, they said, political parties would not be able to inform the electorate about their manifestos.
The PPP leader told the ARD chief that he asked the general to ensure free and fair elections. Whether the general honours his commitment, would be clear only when the arrangements were finalized, he said.
The Makhdoom told reporters that Ms Bhutto was determined to return home and take part in the general elections. However, the schedule for her return would be decided by the party.
The Nawabzada said it was unjust on the part of the government to disallow any party to put up covering candidates in constituencies. This, he said, was a departure from the past traditions.
The ARD chief said in case papers of a candidate were rejected, the party would go unrepresented in the constituency in the absence of a covering candidate. This, he said, amounted to punishing a party.
In a related development, ARD deputy information secretary Munir Ahmed Khan has sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner pointing out how the government was still involved in pre-poll rigging despite the fact that the matter had already been brought to the notice of the CEC.
He alleged that Lt-General Rana Tariq was responsible for persuading PPP leader Rana Ikram Rabbani to join the PML-QA. “It is to point out that pre-poll rigging is still on and the administration is working day and night to support the government -sponsored candidates”.
The letter said that the local administration, district nazim and the district police officers had set up three separate cells to support, monitor election campaign, activities of anti-government alliances/candidates and assist their ‘favourites’. All the King’s Party candidates have been asked to stay in touch with this cell for any assistance. “Through this cell the King’s Party candidates are pressurizing the influential personalities of their respective area for their support”.
The government, the letter alleged, has allocated Rs 20 million for every National Assembly constituency and the cells at district level have been authorized to use this fund for the support of government-sponsored candidates.
The ARD leader appealed to the CEC that ministers and the Punjab administration should be restrained from such activities and funds allocated for pre-poll rigging should be frozen.