Provision of uplift funds to MPs: ECP rejects PPP plea against PM

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday rejected an application by PPP against Prime Minister Imran Khan for his announcement of provision of development funds to lawmakers in the run-up to the Senate elections.

In this connection, a three-member ECP bench, headed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa member Ms. Irshad Qaiser, heard the PPP's request. However, the bench rejected the PPP's application, declaring it inadmissible.

The petition was filed by PPP Secretary General Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari a few days back, alleging the use of corrupt practices by Premier Imran Khan in relation to the Senate polls. During hearing on the question of admissibility of the application, the petitioner contended the prime minister had assured funds of Rs50 crore to each member.

To this, the bench found out that the case was also in the Supreme Court and to this, Bokhari argued that the government before the apex court had declared the news of release of funds was false. He also emphasised that the code of conduct had been violated by the prime minister by allegedly bribing members of the assembly in the form of funds before the Senate elections. The ECP member Balochistan said that the code of conduct only mentions the president and the governors of the provinces and not the prime minister. Bokhari said that after announcing the schedule of Senate elections, the prime minister also violated Section 181 of the Election Act by meeting members of the assembly.

He continued that Imran Khan had also insulted the ECP, in general and this was prima facie a case of corrupt practices. To substantiate his contention, PPP leader said that four PTI legislators had confessed to taking funds in a TV programme.

To which, the commission objected whether these four members should not have been a party in the petition on which Bokhari requested that the ECP should summon Imran Khan and also the four members, who had made confession.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa member Ms. Irshad Qaiser said the election code of conduct did not mention the release of funds by the prime minister. Later, the ECP reserved its decision on the admissibility of the petition, which was announced shortly after and the petition of Bukhari was dismissed as inadmissible.