The Electoral Commission held hearings into breaches of the code of conduct in today’s by-election, with a tribunal headed by the chief electoral commissioner.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was summoned to appear before the commission, while a notice was issued to Shehrnaz, wife of former opposition leader Omar Ayub.
The case of CM Sohail Afridi
A five-member commission heard the case against the KP CM on allegations of threatening election staff and violating the 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 the death of a family member. However, a KP member asked: “How can a person be represented in a private capacity in an official capacity?” The member added: “This is a personal case of one person, it has no relationship with the State,” to which the attorney general stated that he is only requesting a postponement on behalf of Ali Bukhari.
Read: CM Afridi’s lawyer calls ECP notification on electoral code violation “unjustified”
The chief electoral commissioner commented: “Advocate General, you are needed in the province. What are you doing here?” A KP member added that the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court has repeatedly pointed out the absence of the attorney general.
Meanwhile, Shehrnaz’s lawyer submitted a written reply, following which the commission adjourned the hearing till December 16.
Shehrnaz Omar Ayub denounces manipulation
In the NA-18 electoral irregularity case, Shehrnaz Omar Ayub filed complaints for non-submission of Form 47 and alleged fraud in the elections. The preliminary hearing was adjourned after his lawyer appeared before the commission.
Reserved decision on Javed Abbasi fine
Murtaza Javed Abbasi appeared with his lawyer to appeal against the District Monitoring Officer’s (DMO) decision to impose a fine of Rs 40,000 for violations of the code of conduct. Abbasi’s lawyer sought annulment of the fine, arguing that his client only “mentioned the KP CM’s threatening statement.”
The commission reserved its decision on the matter.
Muzaffargarh candidate seeks recount
Independent candidate Iqbal Khan Patafi, who polled 46,407 votes in PP-269 Muzaffargarh, personally appeared before the commission requesting a recount. PPP candidate Mian Alamdar Abbas Qureshi won the by-election in the constituency.
Read more: PML-N predicts big victory in today’s polls
Patafi alleged that relatives of his opponent were assigned electoral duties, untrained personnel were deployed and ballots sent to polling stations were less than the number of registered voters.
“The election of PP-269 has always been controversial; statements were obtained from different forums,” Patafi told media outside the electoral commission. He added that “even before, the candidates who won resigned in response to my request for a recount and now the elections were held again.”
The hearing was adjourned by the five-member commission until December 16.
PM’s aide challenges Rs 50,000 fine
The appeal hearing against a fine of Rs 50,000 imposed on Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Culture Huzaifa Rehman for violations of electoral code of conduct in NA-185 Muzaffargarh was also held.
Rehman’s lawyer appeared before the Election Commission on his behalf, and the hearing was also adjourned to December 16.
