The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday stopped Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from attending a political rally in K-P’s Kurram district, where the premier was scheduled to make an address.
District Returning Officer Karam Khushalzada issued notices to PM Imran and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan through the principal.
The warning was issued by ECP’s district monitoring officer in view of the upcoming phase of local government (LG) elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the revised code of conduct issued by the ECP for the conduct of the second phase of local government elections in Swat, all public office holders including the president and prime minister were banned from holding public meetings after the unveiling of the polls’ schedule.
In an earlier letter, the commission had informed the premier that he as well as other public officer-holders could not visit any area of any local council or announce any development scheme after the issuance of the election schedule.
It had warned PM Imran that legal proceedings under sections 233 and 234 of the Election Act 2017 could be initiated against him if he violated any provisions of the revised code.
The commission has issued a new code of conduct after consultation with all political parties. According to the new code, only members of parliament would be allowed to participate in the election campaign. However, public office-holders would not be permitted to participate in them.
Last week, the ECP sent a notice to PM Imran for participating in a rally in Lower Dir in connection with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa local bodies elections.
