PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the Naya Pakistan Card programme here on Wednesday though the regional election commissioner asked him to desist from such activities to prevent a violation of the code of conduct for the upcoming local body elections in the province.

Sources in the Regional Election Commission’s office told Dawn that an advisory was issued to the Prime Minister’s House at 9:40am on Wednesday, while the prime minister launched the Naya Pakistan Card about health, educational and agricultural incentives at the Governor’s House in the afternoon ignoring the advisory.

The advisory read, “It has come to notice of the undersigned through Daily Dawn, December 8, 2021 that you are expected to visit Peshawar today to launch Pakistan Card Initiative.”

It drew the prime minister’s attention towards its earlier instructions regarding the visit to the area of any local council and announce of any development scheme after issuance of election schedule.

CM aide claims PM’s Peshawar visit didn’t violate LG poll code of conduct

In the first phase, the Election Commission of Pakistan is to conduct local body elections in 17 districts of the province on Dec 19, while the polls will be held in the remaining districts on Jan 16.

“After the issuance of election schedule, the president, prime minister, governor, speaker, deputy speaker of any assembly, chairman and deputy chairman of senate, federal and provincial ministers, advisers to the prime minister or chief minister or any other holder of public office shall not visit the area of any local council to announce any development scheme or to canvass or campaign for any candidate or any political party,” read the advisory.

It added that in case someone was a resident of the district, where election was to be held, he or she might visit the district but he or she should not take part in any kind of political activity.

“In view of above you (Prime Minister) are advised not to violate any provision of the code of conduct and instructions issued by the election commission otherwise legal proceedings under Section-233 and 234 of the Election Act, 2017 shall be initiated against you,” it said.

An official in the regional Election Commission of Pakistan told Dawn that a notice could be issued to the prime minister as he had violated the code of conduct.

“The issuance of notice to the prime minister is not the domain of the ECP regional office and instead, the matter will be handled by the central ECP office in Islamabad,” he said.

The official said the advisory issued to the prime minister had been shared with the Election Commission of Pakistan.

In response of the Election Commission’s advisory to the prime minister, special assistant to the chief minister on information and public relations Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Peshawar was an official one and therefore, it wasn’t a violation of the Election Commission of Pakistan code of conduct.

“The visit is part of day to day affairs of the state and there is no ban on such activities,” he said in a statement issued here ahead of the Naya Pakistan Card event at the Governor’s House.

Mr Saif said the prime minister would attend only one official function and that, too, at the Governor’s House, and won’t take part in any electoral or public gatherings.

He said the local body polls were taking place in a few districts of the province, while the prime minister’s reform initiative was for the poor people of the entire country.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2021