K-P CM faces ECP notice over code violations

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan's violations of the code of conduct.

According to the commission’s spokesperson, the K-P chief secretary had been summoned to the ECP Secretariat on Monday.

He added that the K-P chief minister and his cabinet members were continuously violating the code of conduct.

The ECP has taken strict notice of the violations.

The spokesperson said government machinery and helicopters were being used freely in pre-poll rallies.

The ECP would hold a special meeting on the issue on September 19 and appropriate legal action would be considered. The report of the K-P provincial election commissioner would also be reviewed.

In another statement, the commission said it had taken notice of the violations of the code committed by the K-P chief minister despite repeated warnings during the PTI rally for NA-24, Charsadda held on Saturday.

The commission said government resources and helicopters were used indiscriminately.

A notice was also issued to Imran as a candidate.

The commission issued notices to the K-P chief minister, provincial law minister Fazal Shakoor and Adviser Mohammad Arif.

The district monitoring officer (DMO) Charsadda was summoned on September 20 as well.

The DMO told the ECP that not all candidates were receiving the same pre-poll environment.

The official suggested banning the K-P chief minister's use of helicopters during the by-elections.

He added that if such obstacles were placed, why not recommend the disqualification of the candidate.

The notices ordered the respondents to either appear in person before the ECP or submit a reply through their lawyer.

On Thursday, the commission had imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each on former prime minister Imran Khan, K-P chief minister and his cabinet members for violating the code of conduct for the upcoming by-polls by attending a political rally in Peshawar and using state resources for it.

By-elections are to be held in four NA constituencies of K-P -- Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan and Kurram -- on October 16.

The PTI chairman is a candidate for all these constituencies.

According to the ECP’s code of conduct, state machinery cannot be used for any political activity in an area where elections are being held.

Besides, the president, prime minister, chief minister, governor, 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 the election schedule has been announced.

The ECP had issued notices to the K-P governor and chief minister, ministers and others even before the Peshawar rally, asking them not to violate the code of conduct for the by-polls.

Earlier, the ECP served a notice on the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) director general after videos of using official vehicles for setting up PTI flags went viral on social media.

The PDA director general later appeared before the DMO Peshawar, saying that he was not aware of the use of state machinery for the political rally and had suspended three employees.

He had also told the DMO that he had ordered an inquiry after he came to learn about the incident.