ECP Code Violations Continued through End of Campaign Period
ISLAMABAD, April 12, 2013: The Constituency Long-Term Observers (CLTOs) of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) have reported 58 rallies by candidates of political parties and independent candidates during their pre-election observation in 27 constituencies between March 24 and April 1, 2013, says a Press release issued on Friday.
Of the 58 rallies, 27 were held in 13 constituencies of Sindh, 21 in eight constituencies of Punjab, eight in four KP constituencies and two in as many constituencies of Balochistan.
Eight rallies were held outside the residence of opponents/candidates/political leaders, 26 rallies caused inconvenience to people and traffic including one in which there were fireworks. Thirty-three rallies were held at locations that were not notified to the public by the district administration. Multiple violations were observed in some rallies.
FAFEN has deployed CLTOs in every National Assembly constituency across the country to observe all electoral processes including election campaigning.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates is intended to ensure a level playing field among all parties and candidates, and to maintain security and convenience of the general public during the campaign period.
FAFEN recommends that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should make every effort, with police and other government departments, to enforce its Code of Conduct for political parties and candidates equitably and consistently during the campaign period and on Election Day.
The largest number of violations of the ECP Code of Conduct was at rallies held by Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) with 22 violations at 13 rallies. Observers noted 18 violations at 13 rallies of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). Rallies of independent candidates included six Code violations, followed by rallies of Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) with three violations each.
At rallies of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S), observers noted two violations each. One violation of the ECP Code was recorded at rallies of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB), and National Peoples Party (NPP), while no violations were seen at Awami National Party (ANP) rallies.
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