Letter To CEC: Presidency complains about ‘political vilification’

The vilification campaign against the president could have adverse impact on free and fair elections, says Senator.

ISLAMABAD:

Presidential spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar has complained to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about the ‘political vilification’ of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Senator Babar asked the chief election commissioner, Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, “to look into this [matter] and issue directions to political parties, particularly the PML-N leadership, to desist from partisan political attacks against the person of the president of Pakistan.”

“During the ongoing election campaign a section of the political leadership, particularly that of the PML-N, has been hurling accusations against the president that tend to inevitably drag the president into political controversy. The president, on the other hand, is severely handicapped because of deference to the court observations he cannot react to these accusations by employing befitting political jargon,” he said in a letter to the CEC.

Reminding rivals of the reverence attached with the office of the president, Senator Babar said the vilification campaign against the president could have adverse impact on free and fair elections.

“The president is the spouse of former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the son-in-law of the first directly elected prime minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Direct personal criticism of the president during the campaign while the president himself is severally handicapped to respond to them is denying a level playing field to the party that is contesting the elections using the slogan and images of the Shaheed Bhuttos,” reads the letter.

Allegations, criticism, distortion of facts and sometimes character assassination are part of political rhetoric during election campaigns. However, the ECP has cautioned candidates to refrain from such activities.

Clause 17 of the ECP code of conduct says “Criticism of other political parties and opponent candidates shall be confined to their policies and programs, past record and work. Parties and candidates shall refrain from criticism of any aspect of private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. Criticism based on unverified allegations and distortion of facts shall be avoided.”

Violation of the code of conduct may earn the candidate even the punishment of disqualification from contesting the general elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.