ISLAMABAD: The Election Com­mis­sion of Pakistan which had taken notice of the Rs 341 billion Kissan package annou­n­ced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ahead of local government elections reserved on Tuesday its judgment on the issue.

The commission had summoned secretaries of the Ministries of Information and National Food Security to justify the package and its publicity in the print and electronic media.

Sources told Dawn that National Food Security Secretary Seerat Asghar Jaura and Information Secretary Mohammad Azam appeared before the ECP at a meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan.

The secretaries were asked if the announcement of the package and its media publicity was not a violation of the ECP code of conduct.

The national food security secretary told the commission that the agriculture sector was the backbone of the country’s economy and its development was part of the overall economic policy. The information secretary said the publicity of the package was not a violation of the code of conduct. The commission reserved its judgment which is likely to be announced in two days.

Published in Dawn, September 30th , 2015

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