ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday rejected as non-maintainable a petition of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) against the proposal to release uplift funds for MPs and involved Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, counsel for the PPP, had submitted a request against the prime minister, claiming the lawmakers were given “bribes” in the form of development funds thereby violating the code of election conduct.
A three-member commission headed by election commission’s member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irshad Qaiser conducted the hearing wherein Bukhari appeared.
Bukhari argued that Imran met MPs after the announcement of the Senate election schedule. In doing so, he argued, the prime minister violated Section-181 of the Election Act.
The violation of the election code by Imran was tantamount to insulting the ECP on which the commission can impose a sentence of three years and a fine of up to Rs100,000, he said.
“The code of conduct only mentions the president and governors, not the prime minister,” said a member of the commission. At this, Bukhari said the commission possessed the power to take notice of the announcement to grant funds.
he further said four ruling MPs confessed to receiving funds during a television programme and the commission should send notices to them and the premier.
The ECP observed the election code of conduct does not mention the release of funds by the prime minister. Bukhari responded the PM had explicitly assured the MPs he would give them Rs500 million in development funds.
ECP also asked about the petition filed in the Supreme Court. Bukhari said it had been disposed of. In February, the Supreme Court disposed of a suo motu case involving the matter after the government denied reports of the premier announcing the allocation of funds.
After hearing the arguments, the commission rejected the petition.
Yeh Cheez! Ab aya oont pahar ke neechay. ECP must not forget that they need to be respectful to the PM as he is the executive. I hope that Cheap election commissioner will understand this fact now that he has to get up and show respect to the PM also because he is your executive, your boss.