The Electoral Commission today conducted hearings into violations of the code of conduct during the by-elections, with a panel headed by the Chief Electoral Commissioner.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was summoned before the committee, while a notice was issued to Shehrnaz, wife of former opposition leader Omar Ayub.
Case of CM Sohail Afridi
A five-member committee heard the case against the KP CM over allegations of threats against poll workers and violation of code of conduct. Although Afridi was granted an exemption from personal appearance, his lawyers and those representing Shehrnaz Omar Ayub appeared before the commission.
KP Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel requested an adjournment on behalf of Afridi’s lawyer Ali Bukhari, citing a death in the family. However, a KP member asked: “How can you represent a person in a private capacity in an official capacity?” The MP added: “This is a personal case of one person, it has no connection with the state,” to which the Advocate General said he was only seeking the adjournment on behalf of Ali Bukhari.
Read: CM Afridi’s lawyer calls ECP’s opinion on electoral code violation ‘unjustified’
The Chief Election Commissioner said: “Attorney General, the province needs you. What are you doing here? » A KP member added that the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court had repeatedly noted the absence of the Advocate General.
Meanwhile, Shehrnaz’s lawyer submitted a written response, after which the commission adjourned the hearing till December 16.
Shehrnaz Omar Ayub alleges rigging
In election irregularity case NA-18, Shehrnaz Omar Ayub filed complaints regarding non-furnishing of Form 47 and allegations of election fraud. The preliminary hearing was adjourned after his lawyer appeared before the commission.
Decision reserved on Javed Abbasi fine
Murtaza Javed Abbasi appeared with his lawyer to appeal the decision of the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) to impose a fine of Rs40,000 for violation of the code of conduct. Abbasi’s lawyer sought cancellation of the fine, arguing that his client had only “mentioned the threatening statements of the KP CM”.
The committee reserved its decision on the matter.
Muzaffargarh candidate calls for recount
Independent candidate Iqbal Khan Patafi, who secured 46,407 votes in PP-269 Muzaffargarh, personally appeared before the committee demanding a recount. PPP candidate Mian Alamdar Abbas Qureshi won the by-elections in the constituency.
Learn more: PML-N eyes big victory in bypolls today
Patafi alleged that relatives of his opponent were given electoral duties, that untrained staff were deployed and that ballots sent to polling stations were fewer than the number of registered voters.
“The election of PP-269 has always been controversial; statements have been obtained in different forums,” Patafi told media outside the electoral commission. He added that “even before, the candidates who won resigned following my request for a recount and now the elections have been held again.”
The hearing was adjourned by the five-member committee until December 16.
PM’s aide contests 50,000 rupees fine
The hearing of an appeal against fine of Rs50,000 imposed on Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Culture Huzaifa Rehman, for violation of election code of conduct at NA-185 Muzaffargarh was also held.
Rehman’s lawyer appeared before the Election Commission on his behalf, with the hearing also adjourned to December 16.
