By-polls code breach
ECP imposed a fine of Rs50, 000 each on Imran Khan, CM-KP and eight other cabinet members
PESHAWAR
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday imposes a fine of Rs50, 000 on former prime minister and chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan for addressing a public meeting in Peshawar on September 6 in violation of the conduct of election issued for by-elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The electoral watchdog has also imposed a fine of Rs50, 000 each on Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, provincial ministers Taimur Jhagra, Ishtiaq Urmar , Shaukat Yousafzai, Kamran Bangash, Anwar Zeb, Muhammad Iqbal, Adviser to Chief Minister Khaliqur Rahman and Wazirzada for participating in the public meeting.
An official statement said that the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) for Peshawar has sent separate show cause notices to aforementioned public representatives for violation of by-election code of conduct and directed them to appear personally or through their counsels to explain their positions.
The ECP has also written to the provincial government of KP to stop another public meeting scheduled to be held in Charsadda on September 17.
According to a handout issued by the provincial office of the ECP “the provincial monitoring coordinator has issued a letter to the Governor, the Chief Minister through their personal secretaries on the expected meeting of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on September 17.
The commission has directed them to follow the code of conduct issued by the ECP for by-election, adding that action will be taken against those who hold public office and violate code of conduct set by the commission for upcoming by-elections in KP.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP has rescheduled by-polls in 12 national and provincial assembly constituencies, announcing that polling would now be held on October 16.
The by-polls were originally scheduled to be held on September 25 but it was postponed by the ECP citing ongoing flood and rehabilitation operations across the country.
As PTI Chairman Imran Khan a candidate on all eight NA Assembly slots from KP, ECP has again put him on warning to refrain from holding a rally in Charsadda where as per the schedule by-poll for NA seat will be held on Oct, 16.
The ECP code of conduct for upcoming by-polls in KP says that the president, prime minister, governor, chief minister, speaker, cabinet members or any public office holder shall not attend a political rally or use official resources in favour of any candidate in an area where election schedule has been announced.
