ECP orders political parties to remove banners, flags within 15 days

All political parties have been asked to restore locations to their original condition.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has ordered all political parties to remove all flags and banners put up on walls during the May 11 general elections campaign throughout the country within 15 days.

Taking suo moto notice in response to multiple complaints, Chief Election Commissioner Fakharuddin G Ebrahim directed all provincial chief secretaries to make necessary arrangements to comply with the order within 15 days.

“If political parties fail to remove the banners within two weeks then the removal charges of banners will be recovered from them [political parties],” a senior official of ECP told The Express Tribune on Friday.

“[All] parties are requested to make necessary arrangements for the removal of their flags, banners, hoardings, etc from all cities and towns at their own expenses and restore all sites into their original condition within 15 days, failing which the removal charges on that account will be recovered from them,” stated an official statement.

Justice (retd) Fakharuddin G Ebrahim used his discretionary powers as the ECP regional offices received hundreds of complaints regarding unnecessary use of banners and political hoardings on the walls of their houses, added the officials.