MANSEHRA: The Election Commission of Pakistan has warned two dozen lawmakers and councillors of legal action for violating the election code of conduct in PK-30 constituency.

The lawmakers, who got the ECP notices in that respect, include PML-N MPA Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, PTI MNA Salah Mohammad Khan, Balakot tehsil nazim Ibrahim Shah, and naib nazim Sardar Liaqat Khassana.

“As we want to hold fair and free by-election in the PK-30 constituency, the activities of MNAs, MPAs, local body members are being strictly monitored,” ECP district monitoring officer Zeeshan Khan told Dawn.

The ECP warned Mr Yousuf and Mr Salah against taking part in and addressing public meetings of PML-N nominee Mazhar Ali Qasim and PTI candidate Ahmad Hussain Shah respectively.

The Balakot naib and naib nazim, nazims of various village and neighbourhood councils, and members of district and tehsil councils were also warned of legal action over the violation of election code of conduct.

PK-30 by-poll on Feb 26

The by-election for the PK-30 seat, which had fallen vacant last year due to the disqualification of PML-N MPA Mian Ziaur Rehman for possessing a fake degree, will take place on Feb 26.

The district administration has established 186 polling stations for the by-election and declared 53 of them the most sensitive. Besides policemen, 1,200 army personnel will also be deployed in and outside polling stations.

INJURED: Three policemen and a woman constable suffered critical injuries in a road accident in Khatainda Galla area here on Tuesday.

The accident occurred when a speeding police patrol van bound for Datta area via Karakoram Highway hit a truck head-on due to speeding and thus, seriously injuring four police personnel, including a woman.

They were shifted to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, where the condition of two was critical.

HELD: The Mansehra police arrested dozens of people wanted in cases of heinous crimes and drug peddling.

The arrests were made during a crackdown carried out in parts of Mansehra district. District police officer Zaibullah Khan said the crackdown would continue until all those wanted in cases of murder, attempted murder and other heinous crimes were arrested.

SEALED: The district administration on Tuesday arrested five unqualified chemists and sealed their drugstores here. Additional assistant commissioner Khurramur Rehman Jadoon told reporters that the arrested men didn’t possess own pharmacy licences and illegally practised pharmacy by using licences of qualified ones.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2019