ECP summons PTI candidate over creating ruckus

Aspirant demands election symbol be allotted to PTI

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday summoned the Punjab election commissioner and a candidate accused of harassing the returning officer (RO) and district returning officer (DRO) for a hearing in Islamabad on Tuesday.

In response to the seriousness of the matter, the Election Commission promptly took notice, and the chief election commissioner (CEC) personally discussed the incident with the Punjab chief secretary, DRO/deputy commissioner of Rahim Yar Khan, and the district police officer of RY Khan, and obtained preliminary information.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate from NA-171 constituency threatened the staff of the Election Commission with dire consequences against not getting the electoral symbol of ‘the cricket bat’.

The commissioner took notice of the incident.

Mumtaz Mustafa candidate from NA-171 RY Khan used efforts to force the Election Commission to give the election symbol in the nomination papers.

Read: ECP rejects PTI’s contempt claim

According to the decision of the Election Commission not to allot the bat symbol to the PTI for not conducting the intra-party polls according to the commission’s rules, an enraged Mustafa, attacked the staff of the Election Commission along with his colleagues, stating that the legal position of allotting the election symbol to the party was evaded with threats of consequences.

On receiving information about the situation, a heavy contingent of police force reached the spot.

On the other hand, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja contacted Punjab chief secretary, DRO, deputy commissioner and DPO RY Khan and got the complete details of the incident.

The commissioner was personally summoned to Islamabad on Tuesday along with the said candidate.