KP election commissioner issues notice to CM

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Election Commissioner on Thursday issued a notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister for violation of the code of conduct for election on 16 general seats and directed the authorities to defer the planned programme for distribution of interest-free loan in the merged districts till completion of the election process in these districts. However, the Provincial Election Commissioner explained in the notice that instructions would be reported to the Election Commission of Pakistan in case of non-compliance for further necessary actions. Provincial Election Commissioner Pir Maqbool Ahmad took notice of the reports published in the newspapers that the chief minister arranged a ceremony of distribution of interest-free loan in merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on June 20, at 11 am. The provincial election commissioner reminded the chief minister in the letter that the Election Commission of Pakistan through a notification issued on May 6 had imposed a ban on development schemes in constituencies where the election is under process till its completion. Furthermore, it said the ECP issued a code of conduct on May 6 for his information and perusal. The letter said ceremony being arranged at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat was a violation of the above instructions and code of conduct issued by the ECP.

The instructions were issued to the chief minister through his principal secretary for violation of the code of conduct issued for election on 16 general seats in the merged districts for the KP Assembly. Separately, the district returning officer (DRO) for the Kurram tribal district put on notice Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Muhammad Atif Khan for visiting Kurram in the ban period for the ministers, which was a violation of the code of conduct of elections. Raham Karim, DRO, Kurram district, issued the notice to Muhammad Atif Khan, also the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Sports, Archaeology and Youth Affairs. He was directed to clarify his position on the matter in question on or before June 26. It was stated in the notice that the news about the visit of the minister to Kurram is published in newspapers and also seen in the social media, which is a violation of the code of conduct for elections. “As you know that election on 16 general seats of the provincial assembly shall be held on July 20. Accordingly, the ECP has issued a code of conduct for political parties and candidates for smooth conduct of the election,” stated the notice to the minister.