Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi. PHOTO: ONLINE
Murtaza Javed Abbasi, was summoned by the ECP on Thursday and reprimanded for participating in election campaigns of PML-N candidates for the upcoming local government elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), despite directions to the contrary.
“Politicians do wrong and ECP is held responsible for their misdeeds. We will not remain silent anymore,” Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza remarked while hearing the complaints regarding alleged violations of the code of conduct for May 30 LG polls in K-P.
Orangzaib Khan, an LG polls contestant, had filed a petition with the ECP against the deputy speaker and another MPA from K-P. Khan had alleged that the deputy speaker was elected as an MNA from Abottabad, while Sardar Aurangzaib Khan was a member of K-P assembly from PK-47, were running election campaigns for PML-N candidates in violation of the rules.
According to ECP’s code of conduct, the president, the prime minister, chief ministers, federal and provincial ministers, and the speaker and deputy speaker of both national and provincial assemblies cannot take part in election campaigns in any by-polls or LG polls.
The rules, which had been amended recently by ECP, barred all members of national and provincial legislators, of both ruling and opposition parties, from such election campaigns.
During the hearing for Khan's petition, the Abbasi tried to exonerate himself, however the complainant produced video recordings of his speeches in which he was seen announcing development schemes in different localities. The deputy speaker could also be seen persuading the public to vote for PML-N candidates.
“You politicians advocate merit day in and day out on TV shows. These politicians give an impression that they are the real custodians of merit and rule of law. ECP will no more bear the burden of your wrongdoings” the CEC was quoted as saying after looking into the evidence provided against the deputy speaker.
The commission though gave the deputy speaker time to to come up with his response and the opportunity to engage a lawyer for his defense.
Although, the code of conduct stipulates many clauses for fair play and to check pre-poll rigging, hardly any of these provisions have ever been implemented.
Chief Secretary K-P apologises
Taking up another complaint on the violation of code of conduct, ECP castigated chief secretary K-P for releasing Rs80 million for development schemes in Mardan.
The complaint had been filed by a local ANP activist from Mardan against the PTI-led K-P government. K-P chief secretary Amjad Ali Khan tried to justify the release of funds saying the money would lapse at the start of next financial year in July if not utilised.
ECP rejected his stance saying the provincial government could have executed such schemes before, adding that once the election schedule has been announced, launching of a new development scheme or releasing money is a clear violation of the code of conduct.
The chief secretary then apologised for his action.
ECP to take up issue of barring of women from voting on May 18
ECP had also summoned all the contestants and the winner from PK-95, a provincial assembly constituency in lower Dir, where by-polls were held last week. There were reports that women were barred from voting in the constituency.
Chief Secretary K-P, District Returning Officer for polls and most of the candidates have denied that there was any tacit agreement within the community to bar women from voting or that the women were stopped by force from using their right to franchise.
ECP had asked all those who contested polls to submit written affidavits and directed the chief secretary and DRO to produce all the record on May 20 when the commission will resume the hearing of the case.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ