LOWER DIR: The Election commission of Pakistan on Sunday imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-backed candidate for NA-7 Syed Mahboob Shah and PK-15 Humayun Khan for violating the poll code of conduct.

According to a notification issued by the district monitoring officer here the other day, a village council chairman, Murad Rehman of Gulabad Adenzai was also fined Rs30,000 for running campaign of his party candidate, while the official vehicle of tehsil chairman Adenzai, Fairoz Shah, brother of NA-7 candidate Syed Mahboob Shah, was also seized by the election commission.

The election candidates have been directed to deposit the amount of their fines in government treasury by Jan 29 (today) positively, and present the challan to the ECP.

Meanwhile, Lower Dir deputy commissioner Wasil Khan directed all the political parties and election candidates not to hold any gathering, procession or rallies without the prior permission from the authorities concerned.

In a letter circulated here on Sunday, the parties have been informed that in the wake of current law and order situation the political leadership had to adopt security guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) during their campaigns for protection of their leaders and workers.

The letter said that it had been observed that despite clear orders by the Peshawar High Court the same were not being followed, which was not only vitiating the already fragile law and order situation, but was also hampering the provincial government in fulfilling its constitutional obligation of providing assistance to the ECP to hold free and fair election.

The letter said that various political parties were holding their rallies without obtaining prior permission that amounted to a violation of the court order. The political leadership was called upon to strictly observe the SOPs duly endorsed by the high court.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2024

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