Daily Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on 11 legislators including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chief Minister Sindh and other members of the National and provincial assemblies from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh for consecutive violations of code of conduct during the first phase of the local government polls.

Earlier, the Election Commission has also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

According to a notification issued here by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the central leadership of PPP despite the announcement of schedule of local bodies polls participated in a public meeting that prompted the commission to issue notices to them. On failure in giving justification, the Election Commission imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 each on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani, members of the National Assembly Khurshid Shah and Abdul Qadir Patel.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has also summoned the former chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and opposition leader in KP Assembly Akram Khan Durrani while MNA Zahid Durrani has been fined to the tone of Rs 50,000 for violation of the code of conduct for local government polls. Similarly, the Election Commission has also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on PTI MPA Pakhtun Yar Khan and PPP MPA Sher Azam Wazir for participation in the election campaign in Bannu.

Furthermore, a fine of Rs.50,000 has also been imposed on the Provincial Minister for Transport Shah Mohammad Wazir for addressing a public meeting in favour of his supported candidate in Bannu.

Other legislators, who were penalized including Maulana Lutf-ur-Rehman (Rs 50,000) and Ahmad Karim Kundi of PPP (Rs 30,000), beside the issuance of warning to several members of the National and provincial assemblies including Nighat Yasmin Orakzai of the PPP.

The ECP had also ordered Prime Minister Imran Khan to not visit Peshawar, but defying the orders, the premier had attended an event in the city. Peshawar’s regional election commissioner had issued a letter saying that it had come to the ECPs’s notice through a news report published by a local newspaper that the premier was expected to visit Peshawar on Wednesday to launch the Pakistan Card Initiative.

The premier was cautioned by the ECP officials against a violation of the Code of Conduct and he was informed that the commission, if he goes ahead with his plans, would take legal action against him under the Election Act, 2017.