NA speaker issued notice over violation of LG polls code

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued notice to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser for violating the code of conduct of the local government elections in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Qaiser has been asked to appear before the election supervisor on December 13.

The notice referred to an audio clip of the NA speaker, making rounds in electronic media, wherein he had been seeking the voters support and promising government funding to PTI candidates, "saying that project tenders are in process and soon these tenders will be notified".

The audio clip and a letter were sent to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority chairperson, asking him to carry out a forensic analysis of the clip to confirm its veracity and track its origin.

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The Pemra chief was requested to take up the matter on an urgent basis and provide the required information by December 15.

According to the election code of conduct, after the issuance of the election schedule, the president, prime minister, governor, speaker, deputy speaker of any assembly, chairman and deputy chairman of senate, federal and provincial ministers, advisers to the prime minister, chief ministers or any other holder of public office would not visit the area of any local council to announce any development project or to canvass or campaign for any candidate or any political party.

Furthermore, the ECP issued a notice to MNA Shaukat Ali of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for violating the election code and summoned him on December 12.

Another notice was issued to a legislator of the Awami National Party over violation of the election code of conduct, summoning her on December 13.