Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has failed to ensure implementation of code of conduct in Punjab especially in Rawalpindi.

According to data, more than 3,230 cases of code of conduct violation have been reported through android mobile application in Rawalpindi followed by district Faisalabad with 1,402 complaints. District Chiniot stands third in the list with more than 1,358 cases.

These violations are reported by citizen and monitoring officers through android mobile application. The monitoring officers are the employees of different government departments nominated by the ECP.

According to officials, more than 2,994 complaints were addressed out of 3,230 in Rawalpindi.

Sources said that a committee has been established by District Monitoring Officer (DMO) Dr Umar Jahangir who himself is the monitoring head. Assistant commissioners and magistrates are also there to take action against the violations reported by MOs and submit report on daily basis to the DMO.

According to sources, more than 50 show cause notices have so far been served to local body representatives and candidates of different political parties and independent candidates. Out of that, six were fined worth Rs 25,000 for repeated violations, but none of them replayed or deposited the fine, sources said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and other party candidates have shown severe reservations over operation of district administration; they blamed district administration for removing banners of all the parties other than Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The administration is biased and giving relief to PTI candidates, they claimed.

PPP’s Sumera Gull of NA61, blames the election code of conduct for not taking any action against PML-N Senator Chaudhary Tanvir Khan for allowing water boring to those people who would assure them in written that they would vote for his son Chaudhary Daniyal of NA61.

Published in Daily Times, July 20^th 2018.