PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday disqualified the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for the seat of Dera Ismail Khan city mayor from contesting the upcoming election for violating its code of conduct.

Umar Amin Gandapur, brother of federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, was PTI’s candidate for the seat of city mayor for which polling would be held on February 13.

A three-member ECP bench also restrained Ali Amin Gandapur from attending public rallies and meetings and addressing them till culmination of the election process in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning that in case of violation of the code of conduct strict action under the law would be taken against him.

However, the commission allowed him to enter D.I. Khan district for attending a family ceremony with a directive to abide by the code of conduct for local government (LG) elections and not to interfere in any manner in the conduct of elections in a free and fair manner.

Restrains minister from attending rallies

The ECP had on Feb 3 directed the KP chief secretary and inspector general of police to ‘forcibly’ expel Ali Amin from D.I. Khan for repeated violations of code of conduct.

The ECP bench consisting of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and members Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Mohammad Jatoi issued the order on a complaint filed by JUI-F’s central leader Senator Kamran Murtaza seeking disqualification of Umar Amin from contesting polls and stopping his brother Ali Amin from influencing the election.

The bench observed in its 11-page order that from available record and in the facts and circumstances of the case, “we have no hesitation to hold that Ali Amin Gandapur, being a public office holder, has participated in the election campaign for his brother Umar Amin Gandapur, contesting candidate for seat of mayor D.I. Khan”.

It noted that Ali Amin had addressed public meetings, corner meetings and public rallies and canvassed for the candidates belonging to his political party (PTI) in clear violation of the directives of the commission and code of conduct, more than once.

“We have carefully examined the entire record and notices issued to the respondent [Ali Amin] as well as the order imposing penalty on him. The allegations against him in respect of violation of code of conduct are established from the available record as well as from the fact that order of imposition of penalty on December 9, 2021, was implemented without any protest and without availing remedy of appeal before this commission,” read the ECP order.

The bench ruled that Ali Amin had clearly violated the directives and code of conduct issued prior to the election for which brother Umar Amin was a contesting candidate upon which Ali Amin was fined. “Ali Amin till date has not denied the allegation of his participation in the election campaigns and addressing the rallies, public gatherings and announcing development schemes in violation of Section 181 of the Elections Act 2017,” it said.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2022