VEHARI: Deputy Commissioner Arfan Ali Kathia, also holding the charge of district monitoring officer, has imposed a Rs50,000 fine each on two Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidates in Vehari over the violation of the election code of conduct.

PTI candidates for NA-165 Aurangzaib Khichi and PP-236 Jahanzaib Khichi took out a procession in their constituency late on Wednesday against the election code. Mr Kathia told reporters on Thursday eight teams were monitoring election activities in the district and various billboards and panaflexes were removed over violation of the election code of conduct. He said that if the candidates were found violating the code of conduct again, their cases would be forwarded to the Election Commission of Pakistan for disqualification from contesting polls.

About the rallies of politicians and political parties, he said that they were bound to inform the district administration about the schedule of rallies. He added that politicians were not allowed to hold any car rallies. He said they had issued warning to 11 other candidates on violations. He said that ECP had set up 1,255 polling stations in the district, and of them 84 were sensitive.

Also, the police registered cases against eight activists for showing weapons, and of them two were arrested.

KASUR: The Pattoki police lodged a case against PML-N candidate for NA-140 Rana Muhammad Hayat and his guard for displaying weapons at a public meeting on Thursday in Madina Colony.

Police registered the case against Hayat and his unidentified guard under section 11-B of Arms Ordinance and section 188 (contempt of the lawful authority of public servant) and were looking into the matter.

Published in Dawn, July 06th, 2018