The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a show-cause notice to Prime Minister Imran Khan for visiting Ghotki on Wednesday ahead of the NA-205 by-election next month [July 18], giving him seven days to reply.
According to media reports, the ECP also issued show-cause notices to Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza, Minister for Privatisation and Aviation Muhammad Mian Soomro and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail.
Imran was in Ghotki to condole the death of federal minister for narcotics control Ali Mohammad Mahar. It was Mahar’s death which had necessitated the by-election for the NA-205.
He had the Mahar brothers that the PPP would not be allowed to rig the by-election and he was going to issue directives to the authorities concerned to ensure that.
According to the letter issued by the ECP, a complaint against the visit was registered by a candidate, Abdul Bari Pitafi, who said the visit was in violation with the ECP code of conduct as the schedule for the by-election had already been notified.
According to Para 17(b) of the ECP’s code of conduct, no member of parliament can visit a constituency where by-elections are scheduled after the dates for the election have been notified.
Earlier on Wednesday, PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar also accused the prime minister of violating the ECP rules. “The visit of the prime minister to National Assembly’s constituency 205 is rigging,” Khokhar, PPP chairman’s spokesperson, had said in a statement.
“If the Election Commission wants to protect its image from further deterioration, it should take action over the violation,” he had added.
According to media reports, the ECP also issued show-cause notices to Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza, Minister for Privatisation and Aviation Muhammad Mian Soomro and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail.
Imran was in Ghotki to condole the death of federal minister for narcotics control Ali Mohammad Mahar. It was Mahar’s death which had necessitated the by-election for the NA-205.
He had the Mahar brothers that the PPP would not be allowed to rig the by-election and he was going to issue directives to the authorities concerned to ensure that.
According to the letter issued by the ECP, a complaint against the visit was registered by a candidate, Abdul Bari Pitafi, who said the visit was in violation with the ECP code of conduct as the schedule for the by-election had already been notified.
According to Para 17(b) of the ECP’s code of conduct, no member of parliament can visit a constituency where by-elections are scheduled after the dates for the election have been notified.
Earlier on Wednesday, PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar also accused the prime minister of violating the ECP rules. “The visit of the prime minister to National Assembly’s constituency 205 is rigging,” Khokhar, PPP chairman’s spokesperson, had said in a statement.
“If the Election Commission wants to protect its image from further deterioration, it should take action over the violation,” he had added.