ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will hear today (Wednesday) appeals by senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including former prime minister Imran Khan, and some key public office-holders against the fines imposed on them for violating the code of conduct during the recently-concluded local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Other appellants include KP Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, the provincial assembly speaker, Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, former federal ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar as well as provincial minister Ameer Zeb Khan.

On the other hand, the same ECP bench will be taking up the foreign funding case against PTI today.

A three-member bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, will hear the appeals against imposition of fine by respective district monitoring officers over the code of conduct violations.

Imran Khan, KP chief minister top list of violators; foreign funding case to be taken up today

The PTI leaders claim that the fine imposed on them was against the law as an ordinance allowing public office-holders to take part in the election campaign still holds the field.

According to a document prepared by the ECP, the PTI committed most violations of the code of conduct during the campaign for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa compared to other parties and independent candidates put together.

The total number of reported violations of the code was 154, out of which PTI was responsible for 87 (56.49pc), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), 10 (6.49pc); Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-i-Islami, eight each (5.19pc) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) four (2.59pc).

The total number of violations of the code of conduct by other parties was 28 (18.18pc) and those committed by independents was nine (5.84pc).

The then prime minister, Imran Khan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan topped the list of those who repeatedly violated the code of conduct despite warnings by the district monitoring officers.

Both had addressed rallies in Lower Dir, Swat, Malakand and Mansehra on March 11, 16, 20 and 25, respectively, and were fined Rs50,000 for three of the four violations.

According to a summary released by the ECP, fines to the tune of Rs1.876 million were imposed on violators.

The revised code of conduct was prepared by the ECP for the second phase of local government elections in consultation with political parties, allowing ordinary lawmakers to take part in canvassing but barring public office-holders.

Meanwhile, the same ECP bench will also hear the foreign funding case against PTI today (Wednesday).

This will be the first hearing following the ouster of Imran Khan from the office of prime minister.

The counsel for the petitioner, Akbar S. Babar, had concluded his arguments on the last date of hearing on March 31 while PTI’s counsel is expected to conclude his arguments today.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2022