ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: Nazims of all the three tiers of the local government in dozens of districts are taking politically partisan positions and supporting at least one party or candidate for the forthcoming elections, a report released by a coalition of NGOs said.

The Free and Fair Elections Network (Fafen) in its report says the nazims are supporting certain candidates by urging voters to vote for them, attending their rallies and allowing use of state resources such as official cars and premises.

There are also reports that district and tehsil nazims are instructing their Union Council counterparts to support a certain party or candidate. This was being done despite the provisions of the Local Government Ordinance 2000 as well as the spirit of the Election Commission’s code of conduct for political parties and Section 83 of the Representation of the People’s Act 1976.

Most support is reported to have been in favour of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), while support from local elected officials for MQM, PPP, JUI-F, ANP and some independent candidates has also been observed in some districts. The report is based on the information sent by Fafen observers in 240 constituencies of 92 districts.

The report says district nazims have been supporting a certain party or candidate in 37 of 55 observed districts, while tehsil nazims have been supporting a certain party or candidate in 72 constituencies of 33 districts, and UC nazims were backing a certain party or a candidate in 63 constituencies of 35 districts.

The district government officials in Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Jhelum, Kasur, Khushab, Khanewal, Mandi Bahauddin, Mianwali, Multan, Okara, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Vehari, Kech/Turbat and Dadu continue to support a certain party or candidate.

In 13 of these 16 districts, the district government officials have been supporting PML-Q by allowing use of government resources and by urging people to vote for them.

Citing examples, the report says, in NA-78 Faisalabad, the EDO revenue has been observed to be supporting PML-Q candidate besides instructing the Patwaris to canvass for him.

“In NA-81 Faisalabad, the EDOs of revenue, education and health are reportedly supporting the PML-Q candidate (who is an ex-MNA). In NA-186 Bahawalpur, the EDO health is urging people to vote for an independent candidate (Tasneem Nawaz Gardezi).”

Police bias in favour of a certain party/candidate has been observed in 33 constituencies of Gujranwala, Chakwal, Khushab, Kasur, Jhang, Faisalabad, Okara, Pak Pattan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Attock, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Vehari, Jhelum and Jaffarabad.

The police reportedly are supporting PML-Q in 13 of these 18 districts namely Faisalabad, Gujrat, Jhang, Jhelum, Kasur, Khushab, Khanewal, Lahore, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Rajanpur, Rawalpindi and Vehari.

There had been a high number of postings and transfers in the district governments and police departments in the observed districts since October 1. As observed through the month of January, the trend of postings and transfers continued.

The report suggests that new DCOs have been posted in 10 districts, new EDOs in 17 constituencies of nine districts and new SHOs appointed in 51 constituencies of 26 districts.

The report says announcing or initiating new development schemes such as laying sewage lines, building roads and erecting buildings is an effective way of influencing voters.

Despite the ban on such activities after the announcement of the election schedule, some district and local government officials have reportedly been announcing or initiating work on new development schemes.

According to recent reports, new development schemes have been announced in 10 constituencies of Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzzafargarh, Hyderabad, Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi East and Karachi Central since November 1.

District governments have initiated work on new development schemes after the same date in six constituencies of Gujranwala, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Swabi, Karak and Karachi East.

In addition, some Fafen observes have reported that district governments were speeding up the completion of development projects initiated during the tenure of the previous government.

The report suggests that two caretaker ministers are taking partisan positions in favour of one party/candidate in two districts. In NA-272 of Kech/Turbat district, the provincial minister for food, who is also the tehsil nazim, has been observed to support the BNP-Awami candidate by speaking at his campaign rallies and announcing new development schemes.

In NA-194 of Rahim Yar Khan, the provincial minister for mines and minerals is openly supporting the PML-Q candidate, who is also related to him, by urging the public and government employees to vote for him. He has also been observed to mobilise voters through the Patwaris.