ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved itsverdict in the case against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for alleged violation of the code of conduct and threats to the election staff.

A five-member bench of the commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja reserved decision after hearing finalarguments from both sides. Sohail Afridi’s lawyer Ali Bukhari and petitioner Babar Nawaz’s lawyer Sajil Swati appeared before the bench.

The ECP had summoned the chief minister after he allegedly threatened the election staff during a political gathering in Havelian, Abbottabad, ahead of a by-election in Haripur (NA-18).

CM Afridi was accused of threatening the staff that they would face consequences in case the by-elections were rigged.

The ECP lawyer argued that the district administration and officers for the by-election were subordinate to the Election Commission, and that threatening the election staff meant threatening the Election Commission.

He further said the judiciary also declared that the protection of the election staff was the responsibility of the commission.

The lawyer underlined that action may be taken against the chief minister in line with the related laws.

In response, Sohail Afridi’s lawyer Ali Bukhari said the commission had never taken any decision in favour of PTI, and if action was to be taken, then it should have been taken on his application against the Punjab chief minister.

To this, member of the Election Commission from Sindh said this case was not only about violation of the code of conduct but also about intimidation. The chief election commissioner asked, “where did you challenge the commission’s order rejecting your application”.

The lawyer clarified that he did not challenge it but was presenting this order as an example, as the chief minister of Punjab had also announced development schemes.

The Election Commission member from Sindh pointed out that the Punjab chief minister did not say that “you will not be able to see the morning or night”.

The chief election commissioner also claimed that the Punjab chief minister had no similarity to his case, saying he should have approached the higher judiciary against the rejection of his application.

As for the KP chief minister’s statement during electioneering last year for a by-election in Haripur’s NA-18 constituency, Ali Bukhari contended that Sohail Afridi was talking politically in a public gathering, to which the chief election commissioner said whether Sohail Afridi said it in a public gathering or in a closed room, he was speaking as the chief minister.

The ECP member from KP remarked that “are you saying that this was not a threat but a curse”.

The chief election commissioner said the ECP member from KP had accused the commission of never deciding in favour of PTI whereas the ECP had given a decision in favour of the party in the PTI members’ defection case.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2026