Corporate funding during elections

Corporate entities in Pakistan and their associated bodies maintain a visible distance from the electoral process. Even after the government lifted the ban on their participation in providing financial support to political parties and candidates, their behaviour remained unaffected. The business community, it seems, overlooked the legal shift regarding political donations by companies and trade bodies, as they typically abstain from direct involvement in Pakistan’s electoral process. The leader of an elite business platform succinctly stated his stance and rationale. Ehsan Malik, CEO, the Pakistan Business Council, responded to the query thus: “I am not aware of any listed company whose code of business principles allows donations to political parties and doubt if the modification in law would encourage them to consider a change. However, as there was and is no bar on private individuals making such donations, shareholders of such companies remain free to do so. “Unlike the UK or the US, where there are significant differences between political parties on policies, businesses tend to support those that align with their agendas. There are no clear differences in the programmes of political parties in Pakistan.