December 08, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 7: Opposition parties have flooded the Election Commission of Pakistan, accusing nazims and district government officials of favouring the PML-Q in Punjab. A top government official says some of these complaints are of serious nature.

There were clear-cut instructions by the ECP and subsequent directions by the provincial establishment that the basic role of the administrative machinery and the nazims was to facilitate holding of the elections in a fair, free and impartial manner.

Punjab Election Commissioner Ayaz Beg confirmed the receipt of such complaints on Friday, but said the ECP was forwarding them to chief secretaries of all provinces for probe and action. However, he said, most of these complaints were not backed by evidence.

He said the ECP was receiving related replies from the provincial governments and it would definitely ask the authorities concerned to take strict action if anyone was found guilty of violating the code of conduct.

Punjab Chief Secretary Salman Siddique said the provincial government would not spare anyone found guilty of a partisan role. He said a cell had been established in his office to receive complaints from the ECP and forward it to the departments concerned for action. They were being given one-week time to report.

He said complaints containing specific allegations were of serious nature. “The chief minister and I myself have repeatedly made it clear to all departments, police, DCOs and nazims that they should remain impartial in the elections. If any one of them is indulging in it, he is doing it at his own risk,” he said.

He said the government would send the report to the ECP for action if anyone was found guilty of violating the code of conduct regarding the elections. “We will proceed according to the law,” he said.

Sources in the ECP said hundreds of complaints had been received regarding postings and transfers and partisan role of nazims, district government officials and police, accusing them of facilitating the PML-Q candidates in the election.

Accusations of misuse of development funds by the nazims and district administrations figure prominently in these complaints. The Punjab areas whose nazims and officials have been accused include Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock, Multan, Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan.

In one such complaint, People’s Lawyers Forum President and PPP Senator Sardar Latif Khosa alleged that DCOs and DPOs appointed by the former chief ministers were influencing the election.

PPP’s Kamran Zafar accused the entire administration in Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan of working for the PML-Q candidates.