MANSEHRA: The election commission on Tuesday imposed Rs50,000 fine on federal railways minister Azam Khan Swati for running the election campaign of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Mansehra tehsil mayor aspirant Kamal Saleem Swati.

District monitoring officer Hayatullah Jan had last week served a notice on Mr Swati over the breach of election code of conduct.

Mr Swati appeared before the district monitoring officer, who fined him Rs50,000, and also warned him to avoid breaching the election rules set by the ECP for the local body elections scheduled to be held on March 31.

The federal minister and federal parliamentary secretary MNA Salah Mohammad Khan would also appear before the district monitoring officer on Wednesday (today) for running the election campaign of PTI aspirant for Baffa-Pakhal tehsil chairman slot Abdul Shakoor Khan.

In separate notices issued the other day, the election commission had asked PTI public office holders to appear before the district monitoring officer over breach of clause 16(2) of the Local Government Act, 2017.

The notices added that in case of PTI leaders’ failure to appear before the district monitoring officer, their cases would be referred to the Election Commission of Pakistan for further action.

Meanwhile, through a separate notice served on PTI aspirant Abdul Shakoor Khan on Tuesday, the commission asked him to appear before the district monitoring officer to clarify his position as to why the railways minister Mr Swati and MNA Salah Mohammad were running his election campaign.

Meanwhile, the election commission on Tuesday issued notices to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and other elected representatives to refrain from addressing a public meeting scheduled in Mingora on Wednesday (today) following a review of the election code of conduct.

PM Imran, CM Mahmood and other federal and provincial ministers are scheduled to address the public meeting to be held in the Grassy Ground in Mingora.

According to a notice issued by district monitoring officer Saleemullah on March 15 and addressed to the prime minister, it was against the ECP code of conduct to visit and hold any kind of public meeting in the area of any local council and announcement of any development scheme after issuance of election schedule.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2022