PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan cancelled the basic membership of district councillor from Mansehra Shehryar Khan for violating party discipline during the elections for district and tehsil nazims on August, 30 2015.

The ECP conducted the hearing under the disqualifications clause of the third amendment of Local Government Act. Shehryar Khan is nephew of PTI former provincial president Azam Khan Swati, according a press statement issued by PTI provincial secretariat in Peshawar.

During the hearing, four members from district manshera appeared before the ECP on Tuesday and pleaded their case.

PTI provincial organiser Fazal Mohammad Khan was also called by the chief election commissioner during the hearing to represent his party.

PTI had issued show cause notices to 22 councillors from Abbotabad, 10 from Peshawar, 14 from Buner, four from Karak, four from Mansehra, two from Malakand and one from Charsadda for violating party discipline during the elections for district and tehsil nazims.

All the 57 councillors were expelled from the party after which references for their defection were sent to ECP for further action.

Fazal Mohammad Khan told journalists outside the ECP office in Peshawar that all the 57 councillors would meet the same fate because PTI had to set a precedent for others.

“Everyone has to understand that no one is above the party discipline,” he said.

After preliminary examination of evidence, ECP has rescheduled the dates for the hearing.

“Councillors from Abbbotabad would appear before ECP for their second hearing on November 12, members from Buner on 17th, members from Peshawar on 19th, members from Charsadda on 27th and members from Mansehra would appear before the chief election commissioner on November 29 during which final decision regarding the defectors is expected,” said the press release.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2015

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