PPPP has invited applications though ads in newspapers for the allotment of party tickets for MNA and MPA seats.
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians has invited applications though advertisements in newspapers for the allotment of party tickets for MNA and MPA seats for the upcoming general elections. In the advertisement, the party has asked aspirants to submit a bank draft of Rs40,000 for the MNA ticket and Rs30,000 for the MPA nomination, both in the name of the party. However, the advertisement does not say whether this amount is refundable and shall be returned to unsuccessful candidates. Also, it does not specify if these amounts will be ultimately paid to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as its fees, along with the nomination papers of the selected candidates.
There are always a number of aspirants from the same political party vying to win a party ticket for the same constituency and if the sums of Rs40,000 and Rs30,000 are not refunded to the unsuccessful aspirants or if these amounts are not paid as fees to the ECP for the successful candidates, the party will collect a huge sum of money in this manner. It is also commonly known that most parties’ ticket-winning candidates otherwise, too, are expected to contribute generously to the tune of a few crore rupees towards party funds. I hope the ECP takes due notice of such payments if it deems them to be against the electoral rules laid down by it.
Colonel (retd) Riaz Jafri
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2013.
