Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday took notice of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other senior leaders' presence and deliverance of speeches at a political gathering in NA-154 Lodhran constituency after the schedule for by-elections had been announced, deeming it a violation of the ECP's code of conduct.
In a notice issued to PTI candidate Ali Tareen, the ECP stated that "political canvassing by public office holders and members of parliaments after the issuance of schedule for by-elections on a seat is a violation of ECP's code of conduct for political parties".
The ECP noted that Khan, Sheikh Rahseed, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Murad Saeed "attended and addressed a gathering in NA-154 Lodhran" on Friday, furthering Tareen's election campaign and thus violating the ECP's code of conduct.
The ECP ordered Tareen to appear at a district-level ECP office on February 11, and directed Khan to respond to the charge either himself or through an attorney.
The NA-154 Lodhran seat had become vacant following the disqualification of Tareen's father Jahangir Tareen.
The party had then chosen the younger Tareen to contest the bye-elections on February 12.
