Indecent remarks: Pervaiz Khattak apologises to ECP

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) former chief minister and MNA-elect of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Pervaiz Khattak Wednesday apologised unconditionally to the ECP for his ‘indecent’ remarks against rivals during his election campaign.

A four-member ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Sardar Muhammad Raza, resumed hearing into the matter, of which it had taken suo motu notice and summoned him a day before general elections on July 24. However, his lawyer had appeared before the forum.

Similar notices were issued to several other political leaders also. However, the ECP linked the issuance of notification of Khattak’s election to the outcome of this case.

His counsel again was present before the bench to point out that in the notice, it was not mentioned of which particular speech, the ECP had taken notice. To this, the chief election commissioner informed him that the video of his specific speech could be shown.

And, then the video was played before the bench, in which Khattak was shown delivering speech in Pushto. “Now, you have listened to what he is saying about females. He used extremely improper language about females,” the chief election commissioner maintained.

Khattak’s counsel informed the bench that the affidavit of his client was submitted to the ECP on July 24, in which he had tendered unconditional apology too and conceded that what he had uttered was unintentional and he was ashamed of it.

The bench asked as to why Khattak had not appeared before the ECP, to which, his counsel said that he had explained his position in a Geo show and apologised also. The bench adjourned the hearing till August 9 with a direction to the lawyer to share the related details and video clip of the show.

In another development, PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and ex-minister Marriyum Aurangzeb called on the Election Commission Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad and apprised him of their party’s reservations regarding the election results and urged the Election Commission to take action with regard to mistakes in form-45.

Later, Marriyum Aurangzeb explained to journalists outside the ECP that the meeting was quite satisfactory during which they highlighted their reservations and now are awaiting the functioning of the two-member bench to present them before this forum.

She emphasised that the ECP should have information about the mistakes made in form-45 and take action accordingly, as a candidate would take part in elections risking his security.

About the ailing former prime minister and Quaid of PML-N, she explained that Nawaz Sharif was shifted to PIMS hospital for check-up on the insistence of doctors. She urged the nation to pray for early recovery of ex-premier.

Meanwhile, the ECP formally sought explanation from provincial election commissioners, district returning officers and returning officers about the delay in election results.

In a communication to the PECs, DROs and ROs, the ECP asked them to share in writing reasons for delay in announcement of results, as they were supposed to do so before or by 2:00AM as per the Elections Rules. In a media talk a day earlier, ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad had also mentioned about the Election Commission’s decision.

The first unofficial result was announced by the chief election commissioner at 4:00am, following the July 25 elections due to the problems in the result transmission system.