PPP complains to CEC…: Sindh governor violating election code of conduct

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Saturday lodged a complaint with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) against Sindh Governor Imran Ismail for chairing a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) coalition partners at the Governor’s House, which was an

illegal act.

The party said the governor used his official position to influence the process of free and fair elections, and demanded action against him over violation of the code of conduct under Section 234 (1), read with Section 234 (3) of the Elections Act 2017.

The PPP candidate in the upcoming Senate elections from Sindh and in-charge election cell of the PPP, Taj Haider, wrote to the CEC. He drew his attention to the news videos and clippings of newspapers in which Sindh governor could be seen chairing a meeting of the PTI candidates, who are contesting Senate elections, the PTI members of the Sindh Assembly and coalition partners of the PTI in the federal government at the Governor’s House Karachi.

He said the meeting evolved a strategy for the success of candidates of the opposition parties in Sindh Assembly in the forthcoming Senate elections, and a statement was also published in newspapers from the Provincial Advisory Council of the PTI, criticising the governor on his choice of the PTI candidates for the Senate.

“The statement demands the removal of Governor Sindh. While the choice of PTI candidates is none of our concern, the statement confirms that the choice of candidates, right or wrong, was made by the Sindh governor,” he added.

Taj Haider stated that this is a gross violation of Rule (v) of the Code of Conduct, issued by the ECP, which states that: “The president and the governors of the provinces shall not take part in election campaign relating to election to the Senate in any manner whatsoever and shall not use their respective offices as well as houses in connection therewith.

“It has become prima facie clear that the governor used not only his position as a governor to intervene and influence the process of free and fair elections, but has also used the premises of the Governor’s House Karachi for the purpose of canvassing and electioneering,” he stated in a letter.

He stated that this is a blatant violation of the rules of the code of conduct, which becomes all the more alarming in the background of the presence of PTI representative in the consultative meeting on the Code of Conduct of Feb 22, 2021.