08/09/2008
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NWFP MPAs videoed showing off stamped ballot papers
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ISLAMABAD: A private television channel on Sunday released video in which the NWFP's Chief Minister and other members of Provincial Assembly are showing their secret ballot papers to PPP agents during the Presidential Elections on Saturday.
According to the video report during the Presidential Elections NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Mian Nisar Gul Kaka Khel, Sitara Imran, Abdul Akbar Khan and others showed the ballot papers after marking to PPP agents before putting in box.
According to the sources, Presiding Officer once threatened to stop polling on such step taken by Nargis Sameen, however, the process continued.
According to the constitution, secret ballot franchise had been adopted so that the members can freely cast their votes.
The code of conduct was strictly observed in the provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan and no complaint was registered but in the assembly of NWFP the situation was totally different.
Former Speaker National Assembly Gohar Ayub Khan, while talking to private television channel said it was the responsibility of the staff of Election Commission of Pakistan present on the occasion to take notice of the process.
"Such undemocratic steps can harm the democratic traditions in the country", he pointed out.
He said the election agents of Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui and Mushahid Hussain Sayed should have raised objection on it and sometime showing loyalty can bring about loss.
Renowned analyst Rahim Ullah Yousafzai has also criticised the showing of ballot papers to others and said such steps show no confidence on one another.-NNI
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