PESHAWAR: The Peshawar and Bannu district monitoring officers of the Provincial Election Commission on Friday fined several treasury and opposition lawmakers, including Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Rs50,000 each for violating the code of conduct for the upcoming local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Peshawar DMO Saeed Ahmad Khan, who is also the regional election commissioner for Peshawar division, imposed the fine on PPP leaders from Sindh, including Bilawal, Murad Ali Shah, MNAs Khursheed Shah and Qadir Patel and provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, for addressing a rally in the provincial capital on Nov 30.

Bannu DMO Inayatullah Khan Wazir, who is also the regional election commissioner for Bannu division, fined provincial transport minister Malik Shah Mohammad Khan Wazir, JUI-F MNA Zahid Khan Durrani, PPP MPA Sher Azam Khan Wazir and PTI MPA Malik Pakhtun Yar Khan for participating in the election campaigns of the nominees of their respective parties in the district.

In his order about Bilawal, the Peshawar DMO said senior advocate Abdul Rauf Rohaila showed up for the PPP leader but didn’t produce his power of attorney for appearance and sought permission to do so on the next hearing. The request was rejected.

PEC official issues notice to opposition leader Durrani

The DMO added that on the last hearing on Dec 3, the lawyer in question was granted time to respond to the notice over the violation of code of conduct and produce Bilawal’s power of attorney, but he failed.

“Various opportunities were provided to the respondent to explain his position vide notice dated the 30th November, 2021 for violating section 30 of the code of conduct issued by ECP, however, the respondent failed to avail such opportunities, hence the undersigned is left with no other option but to impose fine in pursuance of sub-section (3) of Section-234 of the Elections Act, 2017 amounting to Rs 50,000 upon the respondent namely Mr Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari,” he said in the order.

According to it, in case of failure to deposit the imposed fine, the matter shall be referred to the Election Commission of Pakistan under Section 234(4) of the Election Act, 2017.

In his order, the Bannu DMO declared that four lawmakers from KP, including Malik Shah Mohammad Wazir, Zahid Durrani, Sher Azam Wazir and Pakhtun Yar Khan violated the above code of conduct.

He added that notices were issued to them all for appearing before him, but no one complied.

“You both Zahid Khan Durrani and Malik Shah Mohammad Khan Wazir promised to attend the office of DMO Bannu, but didn’t bother to appear in person and continued violation of code of conduct in a daily routine and the general public including all stage holders of Bannu district are surprised for violation by responsible elected representatives of the public which never taken an end,”read the DMO order.

He warned the lawmakers that if they were found guilty of violating the Elections Act, 2017, and the rules made under it for the second time, the matter would be referred to the ECP under Section 234(4) of that law for action, including disqualification.

The DMO also issued notice to Leader of the Opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani for violating the LG election code of conduct.

His order also read: “The activities, which are not allowed under the law by you like representatives, gave bad impression to the whole public of Bannu district which is against the basic spirit of law and have shown concern by all concerned quarters which necessitates to take action under the code of conduct.”

According to the election code of conduct, after the issuance of election schedule, the president, prime minister, governor, speaker, deputy speaker of any assembly, chairman and deputy chairman of senate, federal and provincial ministers, advisers to the prime minister or chief minister or any other holder of public office shall not visit the area of any local council to announce any development scheme or to canvass or campaign for any candidate or any political party.

“In case of someone is resident of the district where election are being held, he may visit the district, however, shall not take part in any kind of political activity.”

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2021