ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday disqualified Shah Muhammad, the minister for transport in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, for five years for inciting violence during the local government elections in Bakakhel tehsil of Bannu district.

The verdict was issued by a two-member panel of the ECP in a case pertaining to disturbing law and order at Bakakhel tehsil of Bannu district during the recently held first phase of the local government elections. The panel also disqualified the minister’s son, Mamoon Rasheed, who was contesting the local government elections from Bakakhel tehsil.

The panel de-notified the provincial minister as member of the provincial assembly soon after issuing its verdict. The top electoral body has also directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election commissioner to file complaints of corrupt practices against the transport minister, his son, and two others under the provisions of the Elections Act, 2017 and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

On December 19, 2021, the ECP had halted the polling process in Baka Khel tehsil after the security situation got out of control. A statement issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that the new date for polling in Baka Khel would be announced later.

At the time, the opposition leader in the KP Assembly Akram Khan Durrani had levelled allegations against the minister of storming into five polling stations in Bakakhel and taking the polling staff hostage. Durrani had also accused Khan of opening fire on the police.

Soon after the incident, the ECP’s spokesperson had announced that the KP’s Chief Election Commissioner has formed a three-member committee to probe the matter. Bannu was among the 17 districts that were holding the first phase of the local government elections in KP.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022