Permission to MPs to run campaigns: ECP, govt fail to break deadlock

ISLAMABAD: A new deadlock might emerge between the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the new amendment to the Election Act, which allowed the ministers and parliamentarians to attend the public gatherings during the election season and run election campaigns of their party candidates.

Sources said the government refused to take back the new amendment during a meeting between the ECP officials and the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) on Monday, and the two sides failed to reach any agreement.

An ECP team, led by Commission Secretary Umar Hameed, met AGP Barrister Khalid Javed Khan, and asserted that the new amendment to the Election Act was violative of the Constitution and the law of the land and it should be taken back.

Sources said the ECP officials would meet again on Tuesday (today) to discuss the situation and a strategy to deal with the crisis. The ECP said it finalises an election code of conduct in consultation with all political parties. It said after the new amendment, the government would be in a position to use its resources and influence during the election process and get results in its favour.

However, the AGP said the amend to the Election Act did not violate the Constitution and the laws. He said it was a right of both the opposition and the ruling parties to run election campaigns of their candidates.

Sources said the ECP team would apprise the Election commissioner of the talks held with the AGP, and then the ECP would make any decision about the amendment to the Election Act. Earlier on Monday, the ECP held a meeting with Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in the chair and reviewed the amendment to the Election Act.