Rawalpindi message: Banners spring up urging army chief to contest next polls

Call upon MPs to lower the minimum electoral benchmark for govt functionaries

RAWALPINDI: Banners suddenly appeared across Rawalpindi intersections on Saturday, urging parliament to clear the way for Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to contest the next general elections after his retirement.

This is the third time that banners in support of General Raheel have made an appearance in the city.

Dotted along intersections in Namak Mandi, Babra Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, and Banni Chowk are messages urging parliament to amend laws that bar government functionaries from contesting elections for at least two years after retirement.

“Members of the treasury and opposition (benches) in the National Assembly need to end their politics of anarchy to reduce the ban on retiring government officials from two years to one year so that renowned personalities such as General Raheel Sharif could take part in the 2018 general elections, (enabling them to) become the country’s prime minister,” the banners contained.

The banners carry the slogan: “No Extension but Deduction”, in bold letters.

They also expressed the hope that General Raheel’s party would win the next elections by a wide margin, creating “harmony between the civilian government and the army,” adding that it would ensure quick progress for the country.

The banners carried the name of Sheikh Amjad Ali, who called himself the spokesman for the Awami Monitoring Cell, Rawalpindi.

Sheikh Amjad Ali, whose cell number was printed on the banners, told The Express Tribune that he had written whatever he had to say on the banners. He did not elaborate.  He said that he would share more details of his plans with the media on Monday.

Dr Abid Malik, the managing director of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), said that the banners were hung at various intersections on electric polls in the old city areas without the authority’s permission. The PHA is responsible for allowing advertisements in the city areas.

The PHA head said that he had directed his staff to remove these banners, adding that there would be no such banners in the city on Sunday.

City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi was not immediately available for comments.

However, a senior police official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, maintained that the banners contained “no matter that could lead to criminal action against Awami Monitoring Cell”.

In July, Move on Pakistan, a relatively unfamiliar political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), displayed banners in the twin cities in July, urging General Sharif to ‘impose martial law in the country’.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2016.