Violation of code of conduct in KP LB polls: ECP puts off hearing on appeals by Imran, Asad till May 12

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday adjourned the hearing of appeals of former PM Imran Khan and his federal minister Asad Umer who had challenged the fine imposed on them over violation of code of conduct during the recently-held second phase of local bodies’ polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa till May 12.

The decision was made after the PTI counsel argued before a bench of the ECP that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had barred the commission from taking any decision on the appeals filed by Imran Khan and Asad Umer. He told the bench that a copy of the order has been sought, which will be received in two days. He said the case will be taken up by the IHC on June 8.

To this, the ECP bench directed the PTI counsel to submit a copy of the IHC order and adjourned the hearing till May 12. Meanwhile, the Scrutiny Committee of the ECP on Monday took up foreign funding cases against the PMLN and the PPP.

The PTI had urged the ECP to hear all foreign funding cases together, which was rejected by the commission. It is pertinent to point out here that the foreign funding case against the PTI had been filed in November 2014 and it filed similar cases against the PPP and the PMLN in 2018.

Talking to reporters outside the ECP Secretariat, PMLN lawyer Jehangir Jadoon said the PMLN has submitted all details of the donations it received and none of these were from prohibited sources. He said the PTI will submit its objections to the documents.