ECP questions timing of PM’s Kisan package ahead of LG polls

The election authority seeks assurance from government that package would not be used to influence voters in LG polls

ISLAMABAD: The recently announced relief package for farmers might be delayed till December as election authorities on Tuesday sought assurance from the government that it would not be used in any way to influence voters in the forthcoming local government elections.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other opposition groups approached Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with apprehensions about intent of government for introducing packages when schedule for local government elections in Punjab and Sindh was already announced.

They claimed the package will influence LG polls in favour of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at the expense of public money – a violation of rules for elections.

Read: PM announces Rs341 billion relief package for farmers

Tagged as Prime Minister’s ‘Kisan’ package, Nawaz Sharif on September 15 announced Rs341 billion special package for farmers who had been calling for relief measures to ameliorate their deteriorating economic condition due to rising costs of inputs.

Peasant bodies staged protest against the government in Lahore and other cities against what they called apathy of government over their community’s issues.

Some political parties including Pakistan Peoples Party backed their demands.

Government attempted to stop burgeoning discontentment in the rural communities that constitute a bulk of the country’s population through a package carrying some relief measures.

In his speech at the launch ceremony, the prime minister announced Rs147 billion had been earmarked for direct loans to the small farmers, while Rs194 billion were allocated for other initiatives for the farmers’ community in this package.

The opposition also accuse the government of spending millions of rupees from the national kitty on advertisement campaign for this package to influence the voters.

Read: Zardari terms agriculture package for farmers a ‘political gimmick’

After week-long internal deliberations, the ECP has asked the relevant ministries to submit details of the dispensing package. It issued notices to secretaries, the top bureaucrats of ministries of food security and information, asking them to submit all the record relevant to this package.

“The government would have to prove that it is national package and would not be used in any way to influence the voters in the LG elections,” Babar Yaqoob secretary ECP told reporters.

He said secretary ministry of food security has been asked to submit all the details of the package, including intent of the package and its dispensation process.

Secretary information ministry has also been asked to provide details of advertisements being released to print and electronic media about this package, added Yaqoob.

He said the ECP wanted to make sure the code of conduct for elections was followed. Providing a level playing field for all the contestants is basic component of these rules.

Sources in the ECP said once ECP analyses the response of the government, it might issue an order a stay on implementation of package till LG polls process completes in Punjab and Sindh in December this year.

Directives to PEMRA

Meanwhile, ECP has written a letter to chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) directing to make sure a level-playing field is provided to all the stakeholders in the media for their election campaigns.

“In order to provide level playing field to all the stakeholders, utmost vigilance be shown to monitor advertisements and campaign material financed by political parties and contesting candidates running on Electronic Media.

PEMRA should also ensure that balanced coverage is being provided to all political parties and contesting candidates and reporting/analysis shown on channels are not titled or biased in favour of or against a particular political party or candidate” the ECP letter reads.