The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued 110 notices to the prime minister, federal ministers, chief minister, governor and others for violating the election code of conduct during the second phase of the local government polls being held in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
ECP has also imposed fines worth Rs583,000. Talking to The Express Tribune, an ECP official said that most violations took place in Manshera district of the province where 38 notices were served for 242 violations.
“Notices have been served on Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Governor Shah Farman, federal and provincial ministers, members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) and candidates,” he said.
A total of 1,035 violations have taken place so far on which 110 notices have been issued including 26 warnings and 23 instructions to stop development projects.
“The ECP has imposed fines on the PM, CM, governor and federal and provincial ministers for violating the code of conduct,” he said.
A fine of Rs220,000 has been imposed in Mansehra district. In Upper Dir, 18 notices were served by the ECP with Rs18,000 fine. In the Palas district, three notices were issued and a fine of Rs95,000 was imposed on violators. Similarly, Rs30,000 fine was collected from North Waziristan tribal district. In lower Chitral, three notices were served and a fine of Rs75,000 was imposed while in Upper Chitral district, two notices were issued and a fine of Rs70,000 was imposed.
The ECP code of conduct has been openly violated in the local government elections and those elected representatives who are called lawmakers have turned into law breakers here.
The ruling PTI and the opposition MPAs and MNAs both are involved in these violations. Some of them were stopped from holding public rallies or announcing development packages by the ECP but even then they held public rallies and announced huge development schemes in order to lure more and more voters.
The second phase of local government polls will be held in K-P on March 31.
“The ECP has already banned the PM, CM, governor as well as federal and provincial ministers from holding public rallies in those districts where elections will be held but still all of them openly violated the ban,” said another official, adding that PM Imran was issued four notices and he was fined thrice.
By the same token, CM Mahmood was also found involved in the violation of code of conduct four times and was issued as many notices. K-P Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani also violated the code of conduct as he attended election rallies and campaigns in his native Abbotabad district.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto was also issued three notices and fined by the ECP. Federal Minister Azam Swati was also fined for violations.
Similar notices were served on CM and other ministers in the first phase of the LG polls in the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2022.
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