State machinery use for electioneering: ECP serves notice on DG PDA

PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has served a notice on the director general of Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) after videos of using official vehicles for affixing flags ahead of a political party went viral on Tuesday.

The DG PDA has been directed to appear before the district monitoring officer on Wednesday (today) to explain his position. It added that in case of not appearing, the case will be referred to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The notice issued by the district monitoring officer Shahabuddin stated that reports appeared that the PDA staff, machinery and vehicles were seen affixing flags of the party of a contesting candidate ahead of a rally in Peshawar.

The DG PDA later suspended three officials Abdul Qayyum, Kachkul Khan and Owais Ali for the violation of code of conduct and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

According to the election code of conduct, state machinery cannot be used for any political activity in an area where elections are being held.

On Monday, the ECP issued a notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and chief minister, ministers and others not to violate the code of conduct for the polls during the PTI rally on September 6.

By-polls are being held in NA-31 Peshawar on September 25. The contesting candidate and chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan addressed a rally in Peshawar on Tuesday.

The ECP KP had fined the PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and many others for violation of the code of conduct in the local government polls in the province last year