NA-122 by-poll: ECP to hold inquiry against PML-N leaders

Secretary ECP Babar Yaqoob says authority will address the issues pointed out by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Sunday it will hold inquiry against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for alleged violations of the code of conduct prior to the by-election in NA-122 Lahore.

Briefing the media at the ECP headquarters, Secretary ECP Babar Yaqoob said the authority will address the issues pointed out by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

He, however, did not share any details regarding the mode and duration of the inquiry.

Read: PML-N violating election laws in NA-122 by-poll campaign, PTI writes to ECP

Still, the ECP insisted the electoral process was transparent, peaceful and under the supervision of the armed forces, adding the ECP had received only a 'negligible' number of 30-35 complaints from NA-122.

“We deployed our fficers and did not request the federal or provincial government for cooperation in this regard,” the secretary said, adding that “we deployed officers from Bannu in Lahore while in Okara, we assigned responsibilities of returning officers and district returning officers.”

Read: LIVE: Vote count underway in Lahore's NA-122

On Saturday, the PTI had urged the commission to take notice of the alleged violations by the PML-N to influence the election results.

“This is being written to you to lodge a strong protest against the continuous violations of electoral laws by the leadership of PML-N, including the PM and CM Punjab in respect of the campaign being conducted in NA-122,” read the letter written by PTI Information Secretary Naeemul Haq to Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan.