Follow the code, ECP says
With the government committing itself to completing its full tenure and handing over power to the caretaker setup only sometime in March, there should be an end to conjecture about the postponement of the elections.
The opposition which was once pressing for early elections has now found that it has yet to do a lot of homework to challenge the ruling coalition. The PTI is fully involved in party elections. It has seen a number of desertions, of both former loyalists and newcomers, and more are expected when it issues tickets to the applicants. The PPP leadership is keen to contest the coming elections jointly with its present allies. In case of maximum agreement between the ruling parties, the alliance would have a joint panel with the same election symbol. In case this is not possible the leadership would try to reach adjustment between the allies on seats. What will dictate the final shape of things are the concrete conditions in provinces. One cannot rule out a situation where a party in the coalition reaches an understanding with one considered a rival by the present ruling coalition.
New allies are being sought by the opposition parties also. The JUI-F which faced isolation after parting company with the ruling alliance has again revived the MMA, minis JUI-S and Jamaat-e-Islami. Attempts are afoot however to woo back JI now. The PPP is also looking for more winnable candidates. The Shirazis of Thattha who after betraying the PPP had joined the PML-Q are back again in the fold of the mother party where they have been received as long lost brothers. The Sharifs have received with open arms not only Hamid Nasir Chattha but also Saleem Saifullah Khan and Hamayun Akhtar. This is a long cry from 2008 when the PML-N leadership was averse to shaking hands with those who, it maintained, had betrayed it.
The Election Commission has meanwhile issued the much awaited Code of Conduct for the candidates. It contains welcome provisions discouraging the use of money or muscle force to affect the electoral outcome. It has also prescribed measures aimed at reducing election expenses. The very first article of the CoC, however, would leave many guessing its real intent. It debars propagation of any opinion, or act in any manner prejudicial to, among other things, the ideology of Pakistan, a vague term that should better have been avoided as it can be interpreted in contradictory ways. Another Article, however, would be welcomed by many. It states that political parties, contesting candidates and their supporters shall not propagate against the participation of any person in the elections on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion or caste.
