ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued ‘warnings’ to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member National Assembly (MNA) Malik Muhammad Ehsan Ullah Tiwana and senior Punjab government officials for “meddling in electoral affairs” in violation of ECP’s code of conduct related to by-election in provincial assembly’s constituency PP-84 Khushab scheduled on May 5.
In this context, Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab Ghulam Israr Khan has directed ECP’s District Monitoring Officer (DMO) for PP-84 Khushab Rai Sultan Bhatti to initiate action over any violation of ECP’s code of conduct in the said constituency.
According to Provincial Election Commission (PEC) Punjab, the DMO has issued warning to PTI MNA Ehsan Ullah Tiwana over his participation in the election campaign of PTI candidate Ali Hussain Khan Baloch and barred him from visiting PP-84 Khushab constituency till the culmination of electoral process.
In addition, Secretary Cooperatives Department Punjab Ahmed Raza Sarwar has been directed to withdraw the order to transfer Circle Registrar Cooperative Societies Usman Umar from Khushab to Sargodha whose posting was swapped with that of Bashir Ahmed— who was transferred from Sargodha to Khushab.
According to ECP’s code of conduct, there is complete ban on governmental transfers and postings in any constituency falling in national or any provincial legislature where general election or by-poll schedule is announced.
The DMO also issued notice to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mitha Tiwana Circle Khushab Amir Abbas for allegedly interfering in the by-election related activities.
Moreover, Chairman Overseas Commission district Khushab Malik Zia-ur-Rehman, who was also issued notice by DMO for allegedly supporting the PTI candidate, responded to the notice that he had resigned as Chairman Overseas Commission and was no more at the helm. However, the ECP has warned to initiate action against him due to the reason that his resignation was not accepted by the competent authority (till Wednesday evening), and he was still officially the Chairman Overseas Commission district Khushab.
The seat PP-84 Khushab had fallen vacant last month following the death of PML-N Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Malik Muhammad Waris Kallu, who died of coronavirus. The PML-N has awarded ticket to his son Barrister Muazzam to contest the by-poll on the vacant seat which is regarded as N-League’s political stronghold.
Amidst simmering tension between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and PML-N over Senate opposition leader controversy, the former has not withdrawn nomination in favour of the latter with PPP’s Ghulam Habib contesting against N-League’s Muazzam and PTI’s Baloch.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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