FAISALABAD: The district administration on Saturday issued notices to all the candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the district and party’s president Shahbaz Sharif for holding a public gathering by blocking a road without its permission.

The notices were issued by Deputy Commissioner Syed Ahmed Fawad under Section 234 of the Elections Act 2017 to former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, ex-state minister Talal Chaudhry (candidate for NA-102), Ali Gohar (NA-103), Shahbaz Babar (NA-104), Mian Muhammad Farooq (NA-105), former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah (NA-106 and PP-113), Haji Akram Ansari (NA-107), Abid Sher Ali (NA-108), Mian Abdul Mannan (NA-109) and Rana Mohammad Afzal (NA-110).

The candidates for provincial assembly seats who were issued notices by the DC include Azad Ali Tabassum, Shoaib Idrees, Akbar Ali, Iffat Miraj, Rai Haider, Sikar Hayat, Jaffar Ali Hocha, Safdar Shakir, Rao Kashif Raheem, Khalid Pervez, Shafique Gujjar, Mian Ajmal Asif, Zafar Iqbal Nagra, Malik Nawaz, Haji Khalid Saeed, Tahir Perveez, Sheikh Ijaz Ahmed, Rana Ali Abbas, Faqeer Hussain Dogar, Mehr Hamid Rasheed. PML-N district secretary general Shahid Mahmood was also issued a notice.

The notices read that the party candidates and office-bearers were granted permission to hold a public gathering at the Al-Fateh Sports Complex near Saleemi Chowk on Friday night after clearance by the district intelligence committee on their request.

However, on coming to know that the organisers were going to hold the gathering by also blocking the main Satiana Road, the district administration issued another notice to them, asking them to refrain from doing so, but they “turned a deaf ear to the [administration’s] advice”.

It said the violation of official order created law and order situation, besides traffic congestion and caused inconvenience to the public at large.

The DC sought written replies from the recipients of the notices by Monday (July 23) “either in person or through the representative”, warning them of “necessary legal action” in case of non-compliance.

A similar notice has also been served on city president of PPP, Naeem Dastgir, secretary Adeel Taj and former MNA Saeed Iqbal for arranging party rallies on Thursday night without the legal permission.

The PPP leaders have been asked to submit their written replies by July 24.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2018