Influencing polls by caretaker ministers: ECP to issue notice to caretaker PM

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued directives to issue a notice to caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar on the matter of influencing the general elections by caretaker federal ministers. 

The five-member ECP bench, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), took up the case for hearing on Thursday. Additional Advocate General (AAG) appeared and said that the ECP had not given a notice.

The ECP, while issuing directives to issue a notice to caretaker PM, adjourned the hearing of the case till next Tuesday.Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan Thursday allotted the symbol of Eagle to Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), previously held by now delisted All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) of late president Pervez Musharraf.

A three-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and consisting of ECP members Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Justice (R) Ikram Ullah Khan, issued the order in the case, which was heard on October 23 and the verdict was reserved.

The Election Commission also issued an order in relation to the implementation of the code of conduct for by-election in NA-24, Charsadda-II, last year. On notice were PTI Chairman Imran Khan and then chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mehmood Khan.

The order was issued by a three-member bench, led by Nisar Ahmed Durrani, which says, “The language of above said clauses is unambiguous, that Chief Minister can neither participate in election campaign in favour of a particular candidate nor can use state resources. Also the Chief Minister is/was legally bound to abide by the code of conduct (COC) in letter and spirit. However, plea taken by the learned counsel for respondents seems genuine in the circumstances of the case, which is accepted, hence the notice issued to the respondents on September 19, 2022 is withdrawn”. — Online