NA-246 by-polls: Central commissioner, law enforcers meet to discuss code of conduct

Candidates to seek city admin’s permission before holding rallies.

KARACHI: The District Central additional commissioner, the police and Rangers representatives and the candidates met the returning officer of the NA-246 by-polls on Friday to discuss the code of conduct to be followed on the election day.

The meeting, held at Markaz-e-Saadat-e-Amroha, was led by returning officer Nadeem Haider and was attended by additional commissioner Maqsood Qureshi, Central SSP Noman Siddiqui, Rangers colonel Asad Noman and the final candidates for the parties contesting the polls.

Party leaders and the candidates will not use harsh language against each other and all candidates will follow the rules framed for the elections, stated the electoral code of conduct. Candidates will seek permission from the city administration before their rallies and public gatherings, and can only distribute pamphlets according to the size suggested by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

During the meeting, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Imran Ismail suggested the law enforcers supervise the polls. An independent candidate, Mehfooz Yar Khan, suggested the installation of closed-circuit television cameras inside the polling stations. Haider told The Express Tribune that these suggestions will be forwarded to the ECP.

A day earlier, Haider had issued the final list of 15 candidates contesting the by-polls. Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Kanwar Naveed will be contesting the seat left vacant by Nabil Gabol, who recently quit the party. Their election symbol is a kite. PTI’s Ismail has been given the ‘bat’ symbol.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Rashid Nasim will be contesting with the symbol of a ‘scale’ while Pasban’s Usman Moazzam will contest with the symbol of ‘balloons’. Khan, who is an independent candidate, said on Thursday that they have asked the city administration to let them use loud speakers.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2015.