FAISALABAD, March 24: The candidates contesting the byelection to the posts of Nazims, Naib Nazims and councillors are violating the code of ethics and election laws with impunity throughout the district.

During a round of some union councils of the city, Saddar and rural areas, it was noticed that the pasting of large posters, hanging of banners, wall-chalking, installation of hoardings and arranging functions with lavish dinners had become a routine.

The candidates are also seen launching mudslinging campaigns against their rivals during corner meetings. The government officials as well as the tehsil municipal administration officials and the district government are also seen taking part in the election campaign of candidates in clear violation of the prescribed rules.

It was also observed the former and sitting parliamentarians, office-bearers of political and religious parties and heads of local councils were also directly involved in the election campaigns of their favourite candidates despite the fact that the election commission had banned such a practice.

As far as the election expenses of candidates are concerned, not even a single candidate is following the rules. The candidates to muster the support of their voters are spending heavy amounts, though the election commission had allowed the Nazim and union council Naib Nazims to jointly spend Rs100,000 in the Local Government Election Rules-2000.

Meanwhile, a tough contest is expected between the nominees of the PML-Q, PPP, PML-N and MMA for 22 seats of Nazims and five seats of union council Naib Nazims for the bypolls scheduled to be held on March 28.

The polling would also be held for 33 general councillors, 78 women general councillors, 18 labour councillors, 53 women labour councillors and 33 minority councillor seats.

Faisalabad is the biggest district of the country in respect of number of union councils (i.e 289). It has six tehsils - City, Saddar, Chak Jhumra, Tandlianwala, Samundri and Jaranwala. The byelections would be held in union councils falling under all the six tehsils.

LOOTED: A gang of armed bandits looted cloth and yarn worth Rs2 million from a powerloom factory on the Dijkot Road here on Tuesday night. Six masked outlaws barged into the factory and took hostages employees and the guard on duty. The gangsters loaded the cloth and yarn in a truck and escaped.