The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed Returning Officer of NA-120 to appear before the court on September 05 in a petition questioning the alleged use of government machinery in support of PML-N's candidate Kulsoom Nawaz. The petitioner Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) alleged that the provincial government led by the PML-N had been using government resources to ensure victory of Kulsoom Nawaz in by-election.
He further alleged that officials of police and other departments had been engaged by the government to rig the election. He said parliamentarians and ministers of the ruling party had been regularly visiting the constituency and making announcements of different development scheme in blatant violation of the code of conduct set by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The petitioner contended that the RO of the constituency was duly informed through an application about the alleged irregularities but no action was taken to implement the laws. The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the ECP to take action against the open use of government machinery by the PML-N leadership to ensure a fair and free election in NA-120.