Gulf Daily News : Parties to defy poll rally ban

Parties to defy poll rally ban

October 23, 2007

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's opposition vowed yesterday to defy a ban on rallies in the run-up to general elections, proposed in the wake of last week's deadly suicide bomb attack on former premier Benazir Bhutto's convoy.

The government is drawing up a code of conduct for campaigning for the polls set for January.

Bhutto's party said the ban was unacceptable amid fears that President Pervez Musharraf was trying to curtail campaigning for the polls.

"Rallies are part of the election process. We cannot sit idle during the election season," Pakistan People's Party spokesman Nazir Dhoki said.

"Leaders have to contact the masses and that is necessary for candidates and parties," he said.

Deputy information minister Tariq Azeem said last week's carnage had made a ban on large public rallies a necessity.

"Keeping in mind the security situation and the incident in Karachi it has become inevitable," Azeem said. Street marches would also be banned under the code of conduct which would instead permit small, pre-arranged and well-secured meetings amid fears of attacks by militants, he said.

Opposition parties would be consulted before the code was finalised and introduced by a government order, Azeem added.

The party of former premier Nawaz Sharif also rejected the ban as "unfair and unacceptable."

"The government does not want political leaders to reach the voters. We will challenge such restrictions in the Supreme Court," said Raja Zafar Ul Haq, chairman of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League. The hardline Islamic alliance of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal also joined in rejecting the ban.

"Musharraf is unpopular. There is a hatred against him, he cannot face the public - therefore he wants controlled and managed elections," senior leader Liaquat Baloch said.

Government officials said there was a possibility of more attacks and the government was considering the ban to avoid bloodshed.

Bhutto said the government had not provided enough security to protect her, adding, "As of now, I haven't got what I want in terms of my security."

Meanwhile, the Taliban said it do not attack outside Afghanistan and were not involved in the Pakistan attack.

Bhutto said she had been warned over suicide squads from the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Pakistani Taliban and Karachi-based militants.

The US yesterday handed over 30 military helicopters to key ally Pakistan to help fight extremism and provide humanitarian relief in the region, officials said.