The Ordinance further empowers the Central Government to direct the EBDOed politician (those sidelined under the Elected Bodies Disqualification Order [EBDO] of 1959) from addressing a meeting or a Press conference or issuing any statement of a political nature to the Press.

The Ordinance, called the Political Parties (Amendment) Ordinance, 1963, comes into force at once. It carries four amendments to the Political Parties Act, 1962, in addition to making a change in the definition of a political party.

The ‘political party’ under the Ordinance included a group or combination of persons who are operating for the purpose of propagating any political opinion or indulging in any other political activity.

The Ordinance lays down that any defaulter who associates himself with a political party would be liable for sentence to two years or fine or both.—Staff Correspondent

Rise in liquor consumption RAWALPINDI: There has been 100 per cent increase in the consumption of alcohol in Pakistan during recent years, according to statistics available here today (Jan 7).

In the city of Lahore, there are over 5,000 people who take alcohol on permits. —Agencies