Daily Times

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday dismissed the appeal filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and senior party leader Asad Umar wherein they had challenged fines imposed on them by the commission for violating election code of conduct. A four-member bench heard the appeals and announced its decision after no one on behalf of Imran Khan and Asad Umar appeared before the commission to pursue the case. The ECP ordered both leaders to pay a fine of Rs50,000 each. It may be noted that despite ECP directives, Imran Khan had visited Swat while he was still in office and addressed a gathering on March 15 ahead of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa local government elections that were scheduled for March 31. The ECP had, as a result, imposed a fine of Rs50,000. According to the new ECP code of conduct, no public office-holder can visit the districts where elections are to be held. Meanwhile, the ECP has issued notices to PTI leaders Firdous Ashiq Awan and Usman Dar instructing them to appear before an inquiry committee in the Daska by-election probe, it emerged on Wednesday.