ECP keeps fine on Imran, drops one on Sanaullah.
During the by-elections, two leaders were given punishments for breaking the code of conduct.
ISLAMABAD — The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday turned down an appeal from the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, and upheld its decision to fine him Rs30,000 for violating the code of conduct during the PTI’s campaign for the by-election that was just recently held in Peshawar. However, the ECP lifted the penalty of Rs10,000 that had been imposed on the Minister of the Interior, Rana Sana
The panel’s reserved judgement in the case of the PTI president, who is also a former prime minister, was declared by a four-person bench of the commission, which was chaired by the committee’s Sindh member Nisar Durrani.
The ECP district monitoring officer for NA-31 Peshawar-V Shahabuddin imposed the fine for violating the code of conduct issued for the by-election by participating in the September 6 public rally in the provincial capital despite being warned not to do so. The code of conduct was issued for the by-election.
On September 7, the officer had given Imran the notice that was required of him.
According to paragraph 17 (B) of the code of conduct, “the public office-holders including the president, prime minister, Senate chairman and deputy chairman, speaker and deputy speaker of any of the assemblies, federal ministers, ministers of state, governor, chief minister, provincial ministers, and advisers to the prime minister and chief minister should not attend public meetings of any of the contesting candidates.”
The head of the PTI had challenged the official’s fine by submitting an appeal.
The judge pointed out that Imran was required to file an appeal against the fine within three days of receiving it, but he did so after the deadline had passed.
A fine of Rs. 10,000 that had been imposed on the Minister of the Interior was also overturned by the same bench.
In October of this year, the Faisalabad District Monitoring Officer Syed Basit Ali delivered a notice to Sanaullah for violating the code of conduct by taking part in the election campaign of PML-N candidate Abid Sher Ali for the NA-108 by-election. Sanaullah had participated in the election campaign of PML-N candidate Abid Sher Ali.
The official of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had taken careful note of the interior minister’s media briefing that took place in the midst of the vote and had given the order to exclude Sanaullah from the constituency’s jurisdiction.
He had claimed that it was a breach of the election code for a public office holder to hold a news conference on the day of the election within the boundaries of a constituency, and that this was in violation of the election code.
In a same manner, the minister had appealed the fine, and the ECP bench agreed to hear and consider the minister’s case.
In a separate proceeding, the same bench listened to arguments about the inquiry into the financial dealings of political parties.
The attorney who was representing the PML-N appeared in front of the bench and gave the response that the party had prepared for it.
Additionally, the assistant counsel for the PTI appeared in front of the bench.
The ECP panel has decided to postpone further proceedings regarding the matter until December 22.
