PESHAWAR: The Provincial Election Commission of Pakistan (PEC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sent a dispatch to Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for initiation of departmental proceedings against civil servant (PMS) Officer, Zia-ur-Rehman for participation in the election campaign for JUI-F candidate in Local Government polls, said a spokesman of the PEC here on Sunday.

According to the dispatch of the District Monitoring Officer DI Khan, the concerned PMS Officer has addressed political gathering arranged in Iqbal Marriage Hall, Zafarabad Colony, Tehsil & District DI Khan on February 3, 2022 as part of election campaign of JUI-F candidate, namely, Mohammad Kafeel Nizami.

Being a public office holder (PMS Officer/ Government Servant) his participation in such political activities is sheer violation of Section 187 of the Election Act 2017, which is reproduced under, ‘Assistance by government servant, a person in the service of Pakistan is guilty of violation of official duty in connection with an election, if he miss-use his official position in a manner calculated to influence the results of the election’.

The violation of these provision of law is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to one hundred thousand rupees or with both.

The dispatch further states that the participation of the officer concerned is also the violation of Para-25 of the Code of Conduct and the directions of the Election Commission of Pakistan. The participation of the mentioned officer in the electioneering is also the violation of Section-24 of the Government Servants Efficiency & Disciplinary Rules, 1964.

In light of these sections of law, the PCP has requested the Chief Secretary to initiate necessary disciplinary proceedings immediately under Section-24 of the Government Servants Efficiency & Disciplinary Rules, 1964 against the concerned officer under intimation to PEC for its onward submission to the Election Commission.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022