LAHORE: The PPP has written to the Election Commission to take action against the PML-N candidate for “blatant violation” of electoral code of conduct in the NA-137 by-poll in Nankana Sahib scheduled to be held on Sunday (today).

“PML-N candidate Shizra Mansab Ali, its local leadership and the administration of district, Nankana Sahib, are engaged in illegal and unconstitutional activity of grabbing of Baba Guru Nanak (shrine) land property which is under the administrative control of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and attached to shrine of the Guru,” Rai Shahjahan Bhatti, PPP candidate said in the letter.

Mr Bhatti also drew the ECP’s attention towards what he called violation of the laws by ETPB. “The deputy administrator and its 50 employees have tendered resignations to the board’s chairman in protest over this gross violation,” he said and called upon ECP to take immediate action in this regard.

PPP Punjab senior president Haider Zaman Qureshi told Dawn that the PML-N candidate was using state machinery in his campaign for the by-poll openly and the ECP should take notice of this.

“The Punjab government had also issued development funds in the constituency after the announcement of the election schedule,” Mr Qureshi alleged, adding the PML-Q had also announced support to the PPP candidate who would now put up a better fight.

The seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MNA Rai Mansab Ali. The N candidate, Ms Shizra, is daughter of the deceased MNA. Independent candidate retired Brig Ejaz Shah, the former Punjab home secretary, is being backed by the PTI.

Mr Shah, who was said to be close to former president Gen Musharraf, lost the 2013 election to Mansab by 5,000 votes. Mr Shah claims credit for securing district status for Nankana Sahib.

Published in Dawn March 15th , 2015

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