Punjab Election Commission has issued notices to Minister of Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SPAM) Huzaifa Rehman for allegedly violating the rules of the Election Act 2017, Punjab Election Commissioner Sharifullah confirmed on Thursday.
According to the spokesperson of the Punjab Election Commissioner, both leaders have been directed to submit explanations on Friday (today).
“No minister or advisor is allowed to run an election campaign,” the spokesperson warned that strict action will be taken for repeating the mistake. The spokesperson stated that ECP aims to conduct free and fair elections in the country.
By-elections on six national and seven Punjab assembly seats are scheduled on November 23.
According to the district monitoring officer, Dera Ghazi Khan, the federal minister Awais Leghari was doing a campaign for his cousin Mahmood Leghari in NA-185 constituency of D.G Khan.
The monitoring officer confirmed that as a federal minister, Awais Leghari can’t take part in any election campaign, and if he takes part, then it would be a clear violation of the Election Act 2017.
On the other hand, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Huzaifa Rehman, was also doing a campaign for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate. The Provincial Election Commission issued a notice to him after confirming his participation in the election campaign.
Meanwhile, Faisalabad’s district monitoring officer wrote to the election commission, alleging that State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry had been repeatedly violating the election code of conduct.
Also Read, Constitutional amendments are Parliament’s right: Talal Chaudhry
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has said that introducing amendments is the exclusive right of Parliament, adding that the recent resignations by judges are politically driven. He remarked that some people had reduced Parliament to the level of a municipal corporation.
Speaking at a press conference in Faisalabad, Chaudhry said the country’s Constitution will reflect the will of Parliament and the people. He claimed that in the past, the Supreme Court would send governments home through suo motu powers, removing or appointing whomever it wished, something he stressed was not the Court’s role.
