Violence during LG polls in Bannu: ECP disqualifies KP minister for five years

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday disqualified Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Transport Shah Mohammad Khan for inciting people and creating law and order during the local government elections in Bakakhel tehsil in Bannu district.

The poor law and order had necessitated the postponement of the local bodies’ polls in Bakakhel. The ECP de-notified Shah Mohammad as a member of Khyber PakhtunkhwaAssembly from PK-89 Bannu-III.

“Shah Mohammad is disqualified from holding any public office for five years. He is de-notified as MPA KP accordingly,” stated a verdict of the ECP after hearing the case about law and order and attacks on polling stations in Bakakhel tehsil in Bannu.

The ECP also barred his son Mamoon Rashid, a candidate in the LG polls, from contesting any election till finalisation of criminal proceedings against him. The decision was given in a case pertaining to attacks on polling stations, kidnapping and harassing and threatening polling staff and snatching polling material.

The provincial election commissioner was directed to file a complaint of corrupt practices against the provincial Minister for Transport Shah Mohammad, his son Mamoon Rashid and three others under the relevant sections of the Elections Act 2017 and Pakistan Penal Code. The ECP ordered disciplinary proceedings against assistant presiding officer Mohabbat Khan and Hameedullah.

Besides, the police were directed to investigate the case from all angles and arrest all those involved in creating law and order. The ECP while hearing various cases from Peshawar, Bannu and other districts last month expressed dissatisfaction over the security arrangements by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police during the first phase of LG polls. It decided to call the army for deployment along with cops in the second phase of elections in the remaining areas.

The ECP was told during the hearing that two to three policemen were deployed at some polling stations who also acted as silent spectators when the law and order deteriorated. During the hearing, videos were shown to the ECP regarding breaking the ballot boxes and tearing ballot papers by the people, manhandling and threatening the polling staff and hampering the voting process.

The election commission in January stated that cops were not deployed as per the contingency plan despite the fact that the chief secretary and the IGP in a meeting had promised on behalf of the provincial government to ensure proper deployment at polling stations.