PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Prime Minister and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to appear before the Commission in person or through attorney on March 14 over the polls code of conduct violations.
The notification said that despite the ban, PM Imran Khan, chief minister and other public office holders staged political rally in lower Dir by using state machinery and resources days ahead of local government elections.
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According to ECP no development scheme could be announced after the announcement of the election schedule. The notice said that despite election body direction, the prime minister ignored the instructions of the Election Commission and visited Lower Dir, held a political rally by using government machinery. The Prime Minister was told that there is compelling evidence to prove that you have violated the rules of the Election Act 2017.
The notification warned that if the Prime Minister failed to submit response to the summon, the election will take action under Section-234 of the Election Act 2017. Besides PM Khan, the ECP has also put the Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Defense Minister Pervez Khattak, Provincial Minister Anwar Zeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Malik Shafiullah and Member Provincial on notice over the election code of conduct violation.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has barred Prime Minister Imran Khan from rally in Lower Dir, saying that it would be a violation of election code of conduct. The ECP had said that the decision was taken after consultation with the political parties. According to ECP under the revised rules, members of parliament will be allowed to participate in the election campaign but the ban would be intact on public office holders.
A spokesman for the ECP had said in a statement that the commission had reviewed the code of conduct on March 10 after consulting all political parties. But despite the ECP ban, the prime minister not only visited Lower Dir, attended and addressed the public meeting along with federal and provincial ministers.