Islamabad, 16 November 2007: A delegation of Pakistan People Party called on the Secretary Election Commission to handover the letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner by the Chairman Election Monitoring Cell, PPP, Senator Sardar Latif Khan Khosa. The delegation included Kamran Zafar, Nazir Dhoki, Ms. Palwasha Behram, Sheikh Mansoor and Tariq Malik.

The letter drew attention to an immoral and indecent media campaign launched by Pakistan Muslim League (Quid-e-Azam) to malign the Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Two advertisements have been published in the national media on November 14, 2007 and November 15, 2007 that are based on forgery and out of context press headlines. Ordinarily name of the advertising agency which has
prepared the advertisement appears with the advertisement, but in this particular case, the name of the advertising agency has not been indicated that shows a clandestine nature of the campaign."

It was asserted in the letter that these advertisements flout the Code of Conduct for elections on multiple levels, as detailed below: The campaign is being run at the State expense to malign the leadership of the largest political party of the country. The advertisement on November 14, 2007 was based on a forged letter. (Please see the enclosed letter from Mr Naveed Malik) Mohtarma Bhutto never wrote such a letter nor received any reply. Hands involved in forging such a letter must be identified. Additionally full page advertisements are being issued on State expense by both the Punjab Govt and the Federal Govt to project certain individuals. An international forensic expert should be hired for audit trail that will prove that the Government money is being used for such advertisements. The slanderous campaign is against the law and against the Code of Conduct and you are to implement the law and the Code of Conduct.

The letter further reads, "It has been learnt that the Musharraf regime has also hired a new PR Firm in the USA to which it is paying US$ 650,000/- to malign the political standing of Mohtarma Bhutto with a view to bring her political opposition. The Election Commission of Pakistan must issue notice to terminate the present specification mandate of duty given to the Firm wherein to malign Mohtarma Bhutto, call for all correspondence with that Firm including by the Govt officials or any other deputed for the task and do an audit trail to find the source of money. Genuine political parties have been denied an opportunity to state their position by creating a media environment
where people of Pakistan have no access to independent electronic media. Popular leadership of the political parties is under detention and not allowed to interact with the media. In these circumstances, we feel that possibility of a fair and free election where all political parties are provided a level playing field is increasingly bleak."

The letter asks the Chief Election Commission to take the above steps immediately for fulfilment of constitutional obligation to hold fair, free and impartial elections.