Dec 04: Election Commission of Pakistan has marred the chances of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by disqualifying him from contesting the election because of his criminal record on Monday. The commission also did not qualify his party member to run in the election. However, both Sharif and Benazir Bhutto come together to ensure a free and transparent election.
Both the former prime ministers agreed to set an alliance of opposition to President Pervez Musharraf and hence draw up a charter of demands in order to certify a free parliamentary election designed for January.
On Monday Raja Qamaruzaman, an election officer said, “Sharif’s nomination papers are rejected because of his convictions.”
“Let them reject the nominations ... 10 times or even 100 times. I will serve the people with much more vigour and resolve,” Sharif told his supporter in Islamabad.
A week ago Sharif filed his nomination paper to contest the election; he said that his dismissal could be politically motivated and held Musharraf responsible for his ouster.
Imtiaz Kaifi, lawyer of Sharif said, “I'm very clear that there is somebody else who is manoeuvring things.”
“This shows the election is based on rigging," said a Sharif party spokesman, Ahsan Iqbal. "General Musharraf can't face Mr. Sharif in the polling, that's why he has been denied to contest the election.”
Even Sharif’s brother Shahbaz was barred from the election on the ground of financial irregularities.
Though the constitution of Pakistan does not allow a convicted person to run for the election, Sharif’s supporter alleged that this could have been done due to the surmounting pressure of Musharraf on the election commission.
After the disqualification Nawaz went to meet Benazir Bhutto to discuss further on the election. Both Bhutto and Sharif earlier were in the disposition to boycott the election but decided against it.
Bhutto who had some kind of power-sharing negotiation with Musharraf before the imposition of emergency denied to go with Musharraf advocating what she called ‘fight against dictatorship’.
On late Monday (Dec 03) night on a three-hour long meeting both the former prime ministers decided that general election under current circumstances can’t be free and fare and hence instead of boycotting the poll straightway they decided to submit a charter of demands to President Pervez Musharraf.
The charter of demands would be prepared by an eight member committee and if efforts are not made to fulfill the demands they may go for boycotting the election.
Sharif quoted as saying, “"We do not want to boycott the elections, but if these demands are not met we will be forced to do so. My application has been rejected, despite that I am not against the elections as long as these conditions are fulfilled," said Sharif on Monday.
The fast changing political scenario in Pakistan seems to be unending, the uneasiness prevailing there among the various extremist groups and common people point towards the unpredictable Pakistan’s future.
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