Pakistan Views

An election tribunal on Thursday accepted the nomination papers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has filed nomination papers to contest by-election from NA-123, Lahore, while party president Shahbaz Sharif filed papers for PP-154.The nomination papers of PML-N covering candidate Hamza Shahbaz were also accepted by the tribunal.Talking to media lawyer of Nawaz Sharif, Naseer Bhutta said that the additional session Judge Chaudhry Badaruddin rejects all allegations against Nawaz Sharif. Bhutta said the decision is a big blow to establishment. We will contest any appeal against the tribunal he added.

The scrutiny of nomination papers for bye-elections on 38 seats of the national and provincial assemblies was underway on Wednesday.The Returning Officer has reserved his verdict over objections against nomination of Mian Nawaz Sharif in NA 123 in Lahore. PML-Q candidate in NA-123 Akhlaq Guddu and independent candidate Noor Illahi had challenged the nomination papers of Mian Nawaz Sharif. They filed objection on the nomination papers of Nawaz Sharif alleging that he was convicted in hijacking and has been a bank defaulter, therefore, he should be declared as disqualified. The Returning Officer has reserved verdict on the matter.

Muslim League-N Quaid, Nawaz Sharif has filed the nomination papers for by-election on the national assembly seat NA-52, where ML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali had won in the general elections. Mian Nawaz Sharif had obtained nomination papers from the constituencies NA-52 and 55 for participating in the by-polls, however, he submitted nomination papers for NA-52 only. His son-in-law Captain Safdar has already filed his nomination papers for this seat. ML-N workers in large numbers had gathered on the occasion of Nawaz Sharif’s arrival in the compound of city court and voiced slogans in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

The Election Commission has issued the revised schedule for holding of fresh elections/ By-Election, 2008 of vacant seats in the National Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies. The fresh/by-election will be held on June 26, 2008 in eight National Assembly and thirty Provincial Assembly (seventeen seats in Punjab, three in Sindh, three Balochistan and seven seats in NWFP).Secretary Election Commission in a press release on Wednesday said the Nomination Papers will be filed with the returning officer from 08-5-2008 to 13-5-2008.Scrutiny of nomination papers by the Returning Officers will be held from 14.5.2008 to 20-5-2008. Last date for filing of appeals against decisions of the Returning Officers rejecting/accepting nomination papers is 24-5-2008.Last date for deciding appeals by the Tribunals is 31.5.2008. The candidate can withdraw the candidature on 02.06.2008 and the revised lists of candidates will be issued on the same date.Election Commission clarified that the candidates who have filed Nomination Papers with the Returning Officers concerned by the 5th May, 2008 need not file their Nomination Papers afresh. However, the candidates who filed their Nomination Papers on the 6th May, 2008 will be required to file their Nomination Papers afresh within the time specified in the Notifications for filing their Nomination Papers.

Two component parties of the ruling coalition, Muslim League-N and Awami National Party have expressed their reservations over postponement of the bye-elections. It is being expected that the decision of delay in the bye-polls will be reversed today. According to the information gathered by Geo News from sources inside the coalition, the government could not function in existing shape if the decision about delaying the bye-elections would not be cancelled. Muslim League-N and Awami National Party have expressed their reservations on the issue. The credibility of the NWFP government is being damaged with postponement of the elections, ANP has intimated to the major partner of the coalition Pakistan People’s Party, sources said. Muslim League-N was of the view that the elections have been deferred to stop entry of Shahbaz Sharif in Punjab Assembly. The decision is likely to be reverted today, sources added.

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday put off bye-elections by two months. The polls would now be held on August 18.The commission has extended the election date for the second time. The election has been extended due to security reasons and preparation of the budget, the ECP said.  The new schedule of the bye-elections will be announced soon, said the election commission sources.

Election Commission of Pakistan has changed the schedule of the bye-elections extending polling date from June 3 to June 18. According to an announcement of election commission the polling date for bye-elections has been extended to June 18 from previous June 3. Under the changed schedule nomination papers for the bye-elections will be received till May 6 and screening of the papers will be held from May 7 to 13. The objections over the nominations can be filed till May 17. The tribunals will decide the objections upto May 24. The candidates could withdraw the nominations till May 26 and the final lists will be issued on the same day. According to the schedule polling for eight national and 30 provincial seats will be held on June 18. The schedule has not been changed for five seats of the Senate, Secretary Election Commission said.

The Europe Union election observation mission (EOM) to Pakistan on Wednesday said that the February 18 polls were short of international standards wherein ruling PML-Q, backed by President Musharraf, was given free hand on state resources and media during the campaign.This was stated by the chief observer and member of European Parliament Michael Gahler at the launching of final report on polls that were monitored by 131 observers and recommended that steps should be taken to ensure independent judiciary having full confidence of stakeholders to effectively oversee the election process. The problems identified during 2002 polls were not addressed, he said.The international community, he said, would be closely watching reforms made on recommendations while the mission would be visiting Pakistan in a year’s time to see what progress has been made.Gahler praised the people for showing courageous commitment to democratic process by turning up for votes on polling day amid sweeping fear of suicide attacks and violence. It was a situation of ‘now or never’ for Pakistan to embark upon reform to get away from the allegations, he added.He said that legislative framework for elections does not provide an adequate basis for the conduct of genuine democratic elections and a number of areas need to be precisely regulated and brought in line with international standards.A statement distributed to journalists quoted Ghaler saying that although the February 18 polls were competitive and the results were accepted, there were enduring problems with the framework and conditions for elections, which if not addressed through reforms could pose serious risk of electoral problems in future.The elections process started amid emergency rule that suspended constitution with fundamental rights, removed many judges including Chief Justice that damaged public confidence in judiciary and the rule. This was particularly significant, given the judiciary prominent role in the elections administration as well as adjudication.The mission also expressed concern over legal requirement of bachelor degree for the right to stand as a candidate which excluded the overwhelming majority of the population.The EU elections monitoring mission said it also found that Election Commission of Pakistan lacked transparency in key areas of its working practices and had not formally consulted political parties and other stakeholder besides shortcoming in voters’ registration process which include large number of duplicate, erroneous entries and omissions. The attacks on political parties and gatherings claimed over 150 lives and assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The EU mission recommended over 80 proposals to the government of Pakistan of which 10 key called for steps to ensure independence of judiciary trusted by all the stakeholders for effective oversight of election process. Elections legislations should reviews in a consultative manner with specific issues of independence and transparency of its administration, appointment of members and CEC should be subject to stakeholders and elections appeals to courts and tribunal should be dealt swiftly.All polling stations results should be swiftly displayed at the constituency and internet, ECP should produce an accurate and complete electoral roll, reform of legal framework regulating media activities should be undertaken with reduced restrictions and clear cut definition, state media should ensure impartiality, efforts should be made to reduce women’s under-representation and if CINCs are admissible for registration must be facilitated.

Benazir Bhutto’s niece on Monday accused Western media of irresponsibility in their reporting of Pakistan, saying they disregarded heavy rigging in last month’s polls — including by Bhutto’s party. Fatima Bhutto, herself a journalist, said she witnessed widespread rigging when she visited polling stations in Sindh province during the elections, which saw President Pervez Musharraf’s backers heavily defeated.
“We turned on CNN and we turned on the BBC and we were told, Musharraf has lost, it’s a sign for democracy, he’s accepted defeat quite gracefully…. You’ve had elections, good job, you’ve done wonderfully, because the president hasn’t won. “But in Pakistan, the situation looked quite different,” said Fatima in a speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club here.
“To say there was rigging in the February 18 elections is an understatement…. It wasn’t just rigging, it was quite open, unapologetic rigging. It was no longer under the table, it was very much on top.” Fatima said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by her aunt until her death last year, had engaged in “unapologetic” rigging to win its landslide election victory. “They were taking this election one way or another,” she said.
Pakistan’s polls were originally scheduled for January, but were postponed following Benazir Bhutto’s martyrdom after an election rally on December 27.
Fatima said that even before her aunt’s death, Western media had presented a distorted view of Benazir, and of Pakistan in general.
“The media in the West have been irresponsible if you ask me when it comes to Pakistan. Hysterical is a good word…. When they have got a story they flog it, no matter what the outcome is. “For example, when Benazir Bhutto was coming back to Pakistan, the Western press just decided she was it…. They never bothered to ask Pakistanis what they think,” said Bhutto, who wrote several articles criticising her aunt last year.Fatima’s father, Murtaza Ali Bhutto, was gunned down in mysterious circumstances in 1996 after falling out with his sister Benazir and becoming a political rival.Benazir was prime minister at the time, and Fatima has said she holds her aunt “morally responsible.”
Fatima’s striking looks, strong will and charm have led to comparisons with her famous aunt. But she said her family connections would deter her from entering politics.
“Dynasty has been incredibly bad for Pakistan… You have a country of 165 million people that has three choices, the Bhuttos, the Sharifs or the Musharrafs,” she said.
“To enter (politics) now would be to perpetuate that system.”

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued official results of February 18 polls by issuing notification of federal and provincial legislatures-elect following a day-long meeting of the Commission here on Saturday.
Addressing a news conference, ECP Secretary Kunwar Muhammad Dilshad said the notification of 258 members-elect National Assembly, 291 Punjab Assembly, 122 Sindh Assembly, 89 NWFP, and 48 of Balochistan was issued by the Commission. This, he said, completed the important phase of the Election - 2008. He said all the political parties, civil society, and international observers have appreciated the polls and election and particularly the role of local media was very encouraging for the ECP. Dilsahd said that results of 10 national and 18 seats of the provincial assemblies were withheld owing to stay orders by the courts. The meeting that lasted the whole day and looked into all matters before issuing the notification of the results was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner former Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq. Four members representing provinces and the ECP senior officials attended the meeting.
The ECP has given three days time to the independent candidates after issuing notification to join any political party. Political parties will inform in writing to the ECP about independent candidates joining them. Finally, the notification of winning candidates of each party on reserved seats will be issued, he added.
The ECP asked the winning candidates to submit details of expenditures by February 28, giving 10 days time to them. According to the Constitution, the Commission has to issue the notification within 14 days after the polls, and as the elections were held on February 18, this Constitutional deadline expires on March 3.
However, the results were issued two days ahead of the expiry date. According to the law, the winning candidates are bound to submit details of expenditures with the Returning Officers which are duly conveyed to the Election Commission. The winning candidates were given 10 days time and losing candidate one month after the polls to file expenditures return.
The ECP secretary said the Commission was in process to complete all the work relating to the election, which will be completed by March 5. He, however, responding to a question about convening of National Assembly session, said it is not the job of the Commission.