pakistan04

Sunday 02 July 2000

LB polls on joint electorate system: Umer

Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD, July 1: Labour Minister Umer Asghar Khan said on Saturday that the government was considering holding local bodies elections on the basis of the joint electorate system.

The government intends to do away with the separate electorate system to bring the minorities into the mainstream politics, Mr Khan told a people's assembly.

Referring to the measures being taken to eliminate corrupt elements from politics, he said the National Accountability Bureau had been given the task of blocking the way of corrupt politicians, feudal lords and industrialists to the elected institutions. He said NAB would ensure that the corrupt elements were disqualified.

He said the government was working on a plan to transfer power from the federal government to the provinces, to districts and from there to the tehsil and union council level.

He said the tehsil councils and union councils would have powers to identify development projects in their areas according to the needs of their people and also to collect revenue for those schemes.

Tuesday 19 September 2000

Muttahida demands new constitution, re-composition of Army

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has demanded that according to the spirit of the 1940 Lahore Resolution, a new liberal and democratic constitution based on equality of nations be formulated to safeguard and strengthen the country, said a press release.

A public meeting organised by Muttahida in London on Sunday said: "Under this constitution all provinces shall have total autonomy. All present functions of the federation with exception of defence, foreign affairs and currency shall be transferred to the provinces. Federal interference in matters of provincial rights and authorities shall end. This constitution shall also provide a foolproof guarantee to safeguard rights and authorities of provinces."

"Composition of Pakistan Army should be recomposed, having equal representation of nations from all provinces so that it can effectively and practically be presented as national army of Pakistan. It is not the task of the army to run the affairs of the country. They are responsible only to defend the geographical boundaries of the state," said a resolution adopted at the meeting.

Another resolution said the right to govern will be through a parliament composed of equality of nations, and directly elected by the people and accountable to them. All institutions will be free to act within their own sphere of influence. However, the military including all institutions shall be subservient to the elected parliament, so that Pakistan can actually become a democratic state.

It said: "This constitution shall provide equal and democratic rights to all citizens, honour democracy and fundamental rights. In addition it shall not only provide equal rights to all religious minorities, but also provide them right to vote in a joint electorate system. Women shall be provided equal rights and representation in all walks of life."

At the outset the resolution said: "Whereas, Pakistan as a multinational entity, promoted by Quaid-e-Azam and achieved through efforts of Muslims of the subcontinent, was torn apart in 1971. The assembly elected in 1970 elections of united Pakistan formulated a constitution in 1973 for remainder of Pakistan with consensus. However, smaller nations and representatives of people had several apprehensions. Due to autocratic approach of army, bureaucracy, amendments, unconstitutional decisions, self-seeking so-called federal political parties with their hypocritical, anti-people and undemocratic approach has not only destroyed the 1973 Constitution, but also demeaned it. The constitution should be subservient to needs of people and has to be amended accordingly."

"According to dictates of 21st century, fresh distribution of powers between the people and state, relationship between nations and federation, distribution of rights and powers be determined and a new constitution be formulated to safeguard and strengthen the country."

By another resolution, participants of the assembly demanded that Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report be made public and those held responsible for the break up of Pakistan in this report be severely punished. "Reports on tragedies of murder of first Prime Minister Shaheed-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan, Ojhri Camp disaster, C-130 plane crash and Kargil fiasco be also made public and those responsible punished accordingly."

They said that since people of smaller provinces have repeatedly rejected the plan to construct Kalabagh Dam, this project should be scrapped. Moreover, as people of smaller provinces have always been discriminated against in formation of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, they demand that a formula be adopted to allocate funds equitably to the provinces through the award in proportion to their contribution to the national exchequer."

The participants demanded cessation of 'operation' in urban and rural Sindh and in Balochistan, and release of all innocent people arrested in these provinces. While agreeing that accountability process is an essential component of any healthy society and sovereign state, they maintained that right to carry out accountability only be vested in those having mandate of the people, and done without discrimination. They contended that since the present government has no public mandate it does not have right to hold any one accountable.

Saturday 02 December 2000

35 Hindu bodies to boycott LB polls

By Our Correspondent

SUKKUR, Dec 1: Over 35 organizations of the Hindu community of Sukkur and Larkana divisions have decided to boycott the coming local bodies' elections.

The decision was taken at a convention, held in the Jacobabad district on Friday and attended by over 500 delegates from all over the province. Roochi Ram presided over the convention.

Speaking at the convention, former MPAs Hari Ram, Kishori Ram and Patember Raoy and others said the minorities had been deprived of their right to vote, which had been given to them by the constitution.

They said they would not accept the ordinance that had deprived them of their right to vote under the seperate electorate in the local bodies polls.

The delegates passed a resolution, which called for boycotting the local bodies' elections on Dec 31.

Sunday 03 December 2000

Minorities threaten to boycott LB polls

By Our Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: The All-Pakistan Minority Unity (APMU), an organization which represents all minorities of the country, will boycott the forthcoming local bodies elections if the polls are held on the basis of separate electorate system, a senior office-bearer of the APMU, Shahbaz Bhatti said.

The APMU demanded holding of local bodies elections on joint electorate system (JES), saying that the separate electorate system (SES) had already played havoc with the national integrity. "SES will further create a concept of multi-nation theory in Pakistan," the APMU feared.

The organization is of the view that the SES, besides disenfranchising the entire voting population of Pakistan, has ostracized, politically and socially, the religious minorities of the country. "If the SES continues, it will make Pakistan a religious apartheid state," the APMU warned.

The senior office-bearer of APMU and president CLFP, Shahbaz Bhatti, has written a letter to the heads of all political parties and prominent human rights organizations of the country requesting them to support the struggle of the religious minorities which has been launched to get the joint electorate system restored before the local bodies polls.

He emphatically said that if the joint electorate system was not restored, the religious minorities might boycott the elections. In his letter, he highlighted drawbacks of the SES saying that the system had divided the nation into many components such as Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist, Muslim and non-Muslim voters. "The separate electorate has downgraded the non-Muslim population as the second-class citizens," he lamented.

The leadership of religious minorities has been demanding of the present regime to do away with the SES and restore the system of joint electorates, but the authorities have paid no heed to this demand.

The All-Pakistan Minority Unity Conference which was attended by the representatives of Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, Bahais unanimously rejected the separate electorates and demanded that the LB elections should be held on the basis of joint electorates.

The following are view points of the religious minorities as to why they have been pressing for the restoration of JES.

1) The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, never compromised on legal parameters and constitutional ambit. Three days before the birth of Pakistan, on Aug 11, 1947, he addressed the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, which was presided over by Joginder Nath Mandal and categorically explained that in the State of Pakistan, people of all religions would be equal citizens and they would not be discriminated on religious grounds.

2) In the Constitution of Pakistan, the system of joint electorate was provided. There was no question of Muslim and non-Muslim voters. It was only through the infamous 8th Amendment that the ill-convinced system of separate electorates was imposed.

3) Nowhere in the world except Pakistan, religion has been made a determining factor for voting rights to stand political representation. The system of separate electorate is highly detrimental to the solidarity of Pakistan. It divides the nation and infringes upon the rights of citizens of Pakistan, as they are not allowed to vote anybody, outside their own religious affiliations.

4) It was expected of the present government that it would do away with the separate electorate system because the constitutional experts have declared it flawed, slanted, unjust and inadequate mode of political participation. However, nothing has been done in this regard.

5) Practically, the separate electorate system disfranchises the religious minorities in more than 200 constituencies of Pakistan. It infringes upon the rights of Muslim as well as non-Muslim citizens of Pakistan and if allowed to continue, it will cause a great damage to the integrity.

Saturday 09 December 2000

Poor response to new local govt system

By Sajid Iqbal

LAHORE, Dec 8: People's response to the new system of local government has not been very encouraging in the first phase of elections as only 28,122 candidates filed their nomination papers for 11,550 seats in two divisions of the Punjab.

This means less than three candidates per seat on average, which may further go down after scrutiny or withdrawals. The figure of nomination papers filed in the province gives a disappointing picture when compared with the number of candidates in previous local body elections held on May 20, 1998.

As many as 40,000 candidates were in the run for 9,960 local council seats in 34 district councils, eight metropolitan/municipal corporations, 74 town committees and 135 union councils during the previous elections. Elections were not held for 2,485 union councils existing at that time as polls under government plan for Panchayat system were stayed by the Lahore High Court.

As many as 13,774 nomination papers were filed for 6,510 union council candidates in Sargodha division while 14,348 candidates filed their papers for 5,040 seats in Dera Ghazi Khan Division. There are 2,921,124 registered votes in Sargodha division while the number of voters in Dera Ghazi Khan division is 2,930,638. The number of nomination papers filed in 18 districts throughout the country also reflected a lukewarm response by the candidates as 42,466 turned up for filing their nomination papers for 23,366 seats.

Low turnout of candidates for female, minority and special seats is the most important feature of the electoral process in the Punjab witnessed so far. For example, there is said to be only one candidate in the field against 14 minority seats in as many union councils of Sahiwal tehsil in Sargodha district.

There are 30 candidates in the run for 51 minority seats in Khushab district while 23 candidates each have filed their papers for 56 and 42 minority seats in Mianwali and Bhakkar districts, respectively. Similar was candidates' response on women's seats. There were reports that 74 nomination papers were received for 84 special seats for workers and peasants (female) in Bhakkar district. The trend is likely to be translated in the election of a large number of candidates on these seats unopposed.

Participation of candidates with known political loyalties is another prominent feature witnessed so far. A former MPA is set to return as nazim of union council in Khushab district while several relatives of former governor and Punjab PML president Sirdar Zulfiqar Khosa are in the run for seats of nazims and naib nazims in Dera Ghazi Khan.

When contacted, Pakistan Election Commission spokesman Kanwar Dilshad said the commission was studying the reports about filing of nomination papers in the country. "The number of nomination papers was quite encouraging for the fact that local body elections were being held by treating union council as a multi-member ward," he said, adding that the real picture about the people's interest would come forth after bifurcation of nomination papers at union council level.

Sunday 10 December 2000

PPP resents conditions set for LB candidates

By Our Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, Dec 9: Pakistan Peoples Party has said that the conditions and standard prescribed for candidates seeking to contest Local Bodies elections are violative of the human rights and urged the international human rights bodies to take up the matter with the government.

In a letter addressed to UN Human Rights Commission, the PPP coordinator on human rights, Fouzia Wahab, said that "contrary to the provisions of the 1973 Constitution, the government practising religious apartheid" has excluded minorities from voting in every single electoral constituency.

In yet another bid to de-liberalize society, every Muslim candidate now has to be tested by the regime whether he is a "good or bad Muslim", the letter said.

The previous Nawaz regime tried to Talibanise society by attempting passage of a controversial amendment giving the chief executive the spiritual powers of "determining what is allowed and not allowed" in religion on behalf of the state for the believers. Now it appears that present regime has been pressured to adopt the same agenda, it added.

The letter said that by introducing the high school degree as a necessary condition 80 per cent of Pakistan's poor, working and middle classes have been disenfranchised on educational grounds.

Yet another barrier to free participation is the right of the regime to determine that the candidate "is not involved, in activities prejudicial to the ideology, interest, security, unity, solidarity, peace and integrity of Pakistan".

According to their formula, ultimately only seven to ten per cent can contest the elections. "These conditions make it clear that the regime is undemocratically undermining the fundamental rights of the Pakistani citizens to vote freely in an election," the letter said and urged the UN to take up the matter with the government.

Thursday 14 December 2000

Code of ethics issued for LB candidates

Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: The Election Commission on Wednesday barred the candidates contesting the local bodies elections from using the party platform, and affixing hoarding, posters or banners of any size or cause wall-chalking as a part of their election campaign.

According to 25-point Code of Ethics issued by the Chief Election Commissioner, all candidates for the Ist Phase and for remaining phases of LB elections must adhere to code of ethics.

The candidates cannot hold public meetings or rallies in main streets, roads and chowks to avoid traffic jams and public inconvenience. They can, however, hold corner meetings in order to announce their programmes for uplift of the areas.

The candidates and their agents will not obstruct or break up corner meetings organised by the rival candidates nor interrupt speeches or prevent distribution of handbills and leaflets.

Carriage of lethal weapons and fire arms will not be allowed in corner meetings. Use of crackers and other explosives at such meeting will not be allowed.

The candidate will not be able to use any religious place, namely mosque, Imambargah, church or temple for their election campaign.

No candidates will call the opponents candidate or is workers or supporters as "kafir" or traitor. Candidates will be required to refrain from speeches calculated to arouse parochial and sectarian feelings and controversy or conflicts between genders, sects, communities and linguistic groups.

The candidates will refrain from deliberate dissemination of false and malicious information and their workers will not indulge in forgeries and disinformation to defame other candidates. The candidates will not be able to propagate any opinion or in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality, or the maintenance of public order, or the integrity or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, which defames or brings the judiciary into ridicule or the armed forces of Pakistan.

The candidates and their workers will not propagate against the participation of any person in the elections on the basis of gender.

The candidates will be required to act with a sense of responsibility and dignity befitting their status. While propagating their own views and programmes, they will not interfere with the freedom of others to do the same as that would be the negation of democracy.

The candidates or their supporters will not criticise the private or personal life of opposite candidates or level false allegations.

No election camp will be sent up on any road or place meant for the use of the public.

The processions of buses, trucks, or any other vehicles or torch procession will not be brought out by any person in favour of a candidate, or by the candidate himself.

The candidates might announce their overall development programme. But following the announcement of the election schedule till the day of polling, no candidate or any person on his behalf will, openly or in secret, give any subscription or donation, or make promise for giving such subscription or donation, to any institution of their respective union council or any other institution, nor will commit to undertake any development project in the respective union council.

Appeals to violence or resort to violence during election campaign will be strictly avoided and no candidate or his supporter will in any manner cause injury to any person or damage to any property.

The candidates will have to dissuade their workers or sympathisers from destroying any ballot paper or any official mark on the ballot papers.

The candidates will scrupulously avoid all activities, which are "corrupt practices" and offences under the election laws, such as bribing of voters, intimidation, impersonation, canvassing within 200 meters of a polling station.

The candidates, agents or workers will not indulge in offering gifts or gratification for inducing another person to stand or not to stand as a candidate, or to withdraw or not to withdraw his candidature.

Only the polling personnel, contesting candidates, election agents polling agents and voters, will have a right to enter the polling station. Workers of the candidates will not enter the polling station. The polling agents, sitting on their allotted places, will perform their duties.

The candidates will extend cooperation to the officers on election duty in order to ensure peaceful and orderly polling.

Saturday 16 December 2000

Steps taken to protect minorities

By Our Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: The protection of life and property of minorities, including Ahmedis, is the responsibility of the government and it is taking all necessary steps to ensure it, says an interior ministry spokesman.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the spokesman said: "The Ahmedis as a non-Muslim minority have been accorded all rights and privileges guaranteed to all other minorities under the law. "The Ahmedis enjoy full civil rights. In Pakistan a system of separate elections for each minority community has been adopted to ensure that all minorities are represented in the legislature", he said.

The Ahmedis had full freedom of expression under the law. There was no indiscrimination against them in the services. Some members of Ahmedi community held important positions in the services, both civil and military, he added.

"Recently two incidents of attacks on Qadianis took place at Pasrur and Takht Hazara. These incidents have been condemned by the government as well as the people. The provincial government is making all out efforts to arrest the culprits", the spokesman said.

Sunday 17 December 2000

Speakers demand join electorate

By Our Correspondent

HYDERABAD, Dec 16: Speakers at a convention on Friday criticized separate electorate and demanded joint electorate.

The convention, organized by the Hindu Welfare Association at the Hindu Community Centre in Gulshan-i-Sajjad here on "Joint Electorate and Issues of Common Cause", was attended by members of the Hindu community from Karachi, Larkana and other parts of Sindh.

The speakers, who included Muslim leaders, said the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had made it clear that Pakistan was one nation and that no discrimination would be observed against anyone on the basis of religion.

They said the 1973 Constitution had guaranteed joint electorate, but Gen Zia-ul-Haq had distorted the constitution and had introduced separate electorate.

Educationist Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo said Pakistan was the only country in the world where separate electorate had been introduced. He stated that the Quaid-i-Azam had said that Pakistan was a one-nation state and religion was something quite personal between man and God.

Gen Zia-ul-Haq had introduced the system of separate electorate to pursue his policy of divide and rule, he said and added that it was great injustice to the minorities of the country.

Mr Joyo was of the opinion that separate electorate was against democracy and liberal politics.

Sindh Democratic Party secretary-general Ibrar Qazi remarked that separate electorate had created a sense of insecurity among the minorities who were being victimized in all walks of life. "If the separate electorate system is so necessary, then there should be separate schools and separate streets for them."

Hindu Welfare Association president S. Lal Ahuja underlined the aims aand objects of the convention Others who spoke included Hindu Panchayat Jacobabad president Sudham Chand Chawla, comrade Rochi Ram, Yousuf Leghari advocate, Hari Ram Keshori Lal, Nanik Ram Chawla, human rights activist Noor Naz Agha, Sindhiani Tahreek president Nazeer Qureshi andInder Lal Ahuja.

Sunday 17 December 2000

JOINT ELECTORATE: The MQM coordination committee convener, Dr Imran Farooq, stated that separate electorate is not only against requirements of democracy, but also against the basic principles of democracy and fundamental concept of Islamic teachings and justice.

In statement faxed from London to Dawn, he pointed out the contradiction of the government policy, which, he said, talked about the Pakistani nationality, while on the other, through the system of separate electorate system, the religious minorities had been rendered to second-rate citizens.

He urged the authorities to immediately introduce the joint system of electorate in fulfillment of the Islamic concept, and democratic and constitutional provisions, so that the religious minorities in Pakistan could get equal justice.

Tuesday 19 December 2000

Sindhi Hari Tehrik calls for joint electorate

Bureau Report

HYDERABAD, Dec 18: About ten activists of the Sindhi Hari Tehrik and president Sindhiani Tehrik, Nazeer Qureshi, staged a token hunger strike outside the press club here on Monday against the separate electorate system.

Talking to newsmen, Gul Hassan Keerano and Vishnomal said the Kolhis, Bheels, Bagris and Meghwars had been denied their fundamental human rights. They said the kidnappings of the women belonging to the minority community had become the order of the day. They said the MNAs and MPAs who were elected on the votes of the minorities were only interested in making money by opening liquor shops.

Meanwhile, the Peaceful Development Unity Association has decided to boycott the elections under separate electorate system. The decision was announced at a meeting held here the other day which was presided over by Sabir Nazar. Speaking on the occasion Nazar said the Christians of Hyderabad will boycott the elections if the joint electorate system was not restored.

Sunday 24 December 2000

Minorities urged to take part in local elections

By Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE, Dec 23: Punjab Law Minister Dr Khalid Ranjha on Saturday urged minorities to take part in local government elections to make the devolution plan a success.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of a seminar on the local government system and the role of minorities, he said the government was following a comprehensive agenda aimed at the welfare and progress of minorities in the country.

Dr Ranjha said separate seats had been reserved for minorities in the local elections which would enable them to decide their own future at the grassroots level.

He said that minorities in Pakistan were enjoying full rights and constitutional protection. All resources were also being utilized for their progress and prosperity.

On the contrary, Dr Ranjha said, the unjust treatment being given to minorities in India was an open challenge to the world conscience.

Punjab Minorities Advisory Council Senior Vice-president Raja Nathaniel Gill appreciated the government's efforts to protect the rights of the minorities. He said for the first time in the country's history a separate budget of Rs1 million had been earmarked for setting up minorities affairs department. Five per cent quota had also been reserved for minorities in the police department.

Wednesday 27 December 2000

Union council election: 3,480 contesting in four NWFP districts

By Intikhab Amir

PESHAWAR, Dec 26: Some 3,480 candidates will be contesting the 1,600 seats in the four districts of NWFP in the union council elections to be held on Dec 31, according to sources.

In all 5,219 candidates had initially filed nomination papers for 2,835 seats (all five categories) in four districts of NWFP - Bannu, Lakki Marwat, D.I. Khan and Tank - which comprise 135 union councils. "One third of the candidates got elected unopposed," said a Peshawar-based senior official of the election commission.

For the 270 nazim and naib-nazim seats, some 526 nominations were filed. Some 387 candidates are in the run for the nazims and naib-nazims seats which means more than 60 candidates got elected unopposed. There are well over a hundred seats for which not a single candidate filed nomination papers.

Of all the 135 reserved minorities seats (one seat per union council) 31 papers were rejected, only nine will be contesting. Almost 120 seats would remain uncontested. A total of 1,889 will contest the general (Muslim) seats in the four districts. And, 853 (men) and 77 (women) will contest for the seats reserved for peasants/workers; 265 for the seats reserved for women, and nine for minority seats.

The four districts have 1,080 general seats, 540 peasants/workers (men) - 270 women; 540 seats reserved for women; 135 for minorities, and 270 for nazims and naib-nazim seats.

Bannu district: Has 272,567 registered voters which include 120,306 women. Some 421 candidates will contest the general seats; 200 for the peasants/workers (men) seats - eight women; 26 for the reserved seats for women, two for minority seats; 127 for the 80 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

Bannu has 40 union councils with 320 general seats, 160 reserved for women; 160 for peasants/workers (men) - 80 for women, 40 minorities, and 80 for nazim and naib-nazim seats.

Lakki Marwat: Has 215,647 registered voters. In this district 504 candidates will contest general seats; 142 peasants/workers (men) seats - 12 women; 59 reserved women; 89 will contest 66 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

Lakki Marwat comprises 33 union councils with 264general seats; 132 reserved for women; 132 for peasants/workers (men) - 80 women; 33 minority seats, and 66 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

D.I.Khan: Has 363,577 registered voters including 162,688 women voters; some 751 candidates will contest the general seats; 420 for reserved peasants/workers seats (men) - 45 women; 174 women seats; seven minority seats; and 133 for 92 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

The district comprises 46 union councils with 368 general seats; 184 women seats, 184 seats for peasants/workers (men) - 92 women; 46 minority seats; and 92 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

Tank: Has 96,146 registered voters including 44,540 women. A total of 213 candidates will contest general seats; 91 reserved for peasants/workers (men) - 12 women; six women seats; and 38 will contest the 32 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

With a total of 16 union councils, the Tank district comprises 128 general seats; 64 seats for women and, as many seats for peasants/workers (men) - 32 women;, 16 minority seats; and 32 nazim and naib-nazim seats.

Thursday 28 December 2000

Minorities team calls on Safdar

By Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE, Dec 27: Punjab Governor Muhammad Safdar said on Tuesday the government was taking positive steps for providing maximum opportunities to the minorities to take part in national affairs.

He was talking to a delegation of the Punjab Minorities Advisory Council which called on him at the Governor's House. Punjab Minister for Law Dr Khalid Ranjha was also present on the occasion.

The governor wished members of the delegation a happy Christmas and said minorities were an important part of Pakistani society and were playing a major role in its development and progress.

The government too was taking positive steps to protect their rights.

Leader of the delegation Raja Nathaniel Gill said the provincial government had won the hearts of the minorities by constituting the advisory council and allocating Rs1 million for it in the budget.

He also thanked the governor for fixing five per cent quota of recruitments in police and seats in local governments for minorities.

The other members of the delegation were Lahore Bishop Dr Alexander John Malik, Nausher F. Dastoor, Munawwar Chand, Sardar Sham Singh, M.B. Wilson, Izhar Gill, S.M. Sabir, Khalid Gill, Brig Daniel Austin (retired), Col L.K. Tressler (retired) and Dr Nazli.

6,061 in the run for Larkana's 178 union councils

By Habib Khan Ghori

KARACHI, Dec 27: In the first phase of the local government elections, scheduled for Dec 31, 2000 in Larkana division, 19 union councils have returned unopposed out of total 204 union councils in the three districts of the division.

In the remaining 178 union councils, there are 6,061 candidates contesting 2,507 seats; 445 seats failed to attract any candidate.

In the division out of the 204 pairs of nazim and naib-nazim 60 pairs have returned unopposed and contest would be on 144 pairs. The office of nazim and naib-nazim has attracted candidates on all seats.

According to a report, against 1,629 seats of Muslims (male) the contest will be on 1,437 seats; 192 candidates already have returned unopposed. On female seats in the category of Muslims, out of 816 seats 400 have returned uncontested while contest would be on 314 seats as 102 failed to attract any candidate.

In the category of reserved seats for peasants/workers there are 816 seats for male and 408 for female; 244 men and 183 women were elected unopposed; 60 male and 129 female seats attracted no candidate. Therefore, polling will be held against 512 seats (male) and on 96 (female) seats.

The minorities' response has been no different. Out of the 210 seats, only 56 attracted nominations - 52 candidates returned unopposed leaving only 4 seats on which polling will be held on Dec 31, 2000.

There are 1,803,943 voters in the Larkana division. Of the 7,603 nominations filed 828 were rejected.

The Larkana division has remained in the news for over four decades and have given the country two prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, one defence minister Ayub Khuhro, one communication minister and a chief minister Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, interior minister Qazi Fazlullah and a number of diplomats.

The lack of interest in the local government elections is an indicator that either the people have lost interest in politics or, the political parties opposed to the local government plan have a strong hold on the people in the division.

PREPARATIONS: The provincial election commission of Sindh has dispatched all election material to the three districts - Larkana, Shikarpur and Sukkur.

According to EC sources, election material had been received by the district returning officers who are making arrangements for bulk breaking with the assistance of deputy Commissioners.

The election commission authorities have asked the deputy commissioners to provide all possible assistance to the district returning officers and returning officers in discharging their responsibilities.

The district returning officers have been directed to arrange for fax machines in the offices of returning officers; divisional commissioner Larkana has been asked to provide assistance to ROs for the collection and communication of results to the election commission.

The election material dispatched to Larkana division includes over 1,900 standard packs, about 18,000 official mark rubber stamp oval - three for each poling station, square stamps over 4,900, marking 2,000, non-Muslim votes stamps over 7,000, indelible ink about 1,0000 vials, and over 19,000 ballot boxes.

Likewise, cloth bags in seven colours have been provided to distinguish the ballots. Over 1,900 white bags for Muslim male, and the same number of bags in pink for female, green for special male seats, yellow for special female seats, blue for minorities and khaki for nazim and naib-nazim, and over 2,000 grey bags.

back to this site's main page about minority representation in Pakistan

Suffrage Universel, un site indépendant consacré à la participation politique des minorités ethnonationales et religieuses
accueil - droit de vote des étrangers- partis ethniques - sièges réservés, quotas
Allemagne - Belgique - Danemark - Etats-Unis - France - Pays-Bas - Royaume-Uni