Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday ordered Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member Hamza Shahbaz to submit written replies on the charge of violating the electoral code of conduct.

A four member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza, on Monday took up for hearing the electoral code of conduct violation petitions filed against Imran Khan and Hamza Shahbaz .

During the course of the hearing, the counsels of both leaders took the same plea; that their clients had not violated the electoral code of conduct during by polls.

Khan’s counsel, Naeem Bukhari, pleaded that, “We had received two notices and we had given replies of both of them. Our reply is the same what we have earlier filed. It has been alleged that Imran Khan had visited the respective constituency. But Imran Khan is a member of the national assembly, not a functionary of Punjab government. He did not violate the code of conduct  of by polls. Imran Khan was running a campaign against corruption.”

The counsel for Hamza Shahbaz argued that it was not laid down in the code of conduct of general elections that there was any restriction on MNAs visiting constituencies. It is mentioned in the code of conduct that these rules would be applicable to by polls.

He said Hamza did not receive any notice from the ECP and the notice which was sent to Hamza was sent to the wrong address.

Sardar Raza remarked that candidates could hold public meetings but these should not be held 15 to 20 days before elections because the visit of an provincial or federal legislator in a constituency of by polls could influence the polls.