The Election Commission of Pakistan imposed a fine of Rs.50,000 fine on former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, and several cabinet members, including ministers and advisers to the chief minister separately for violating the code of conduct issued for the upcoming by-elections by participating the Sept 6 public rally in the provincial capital despite the warning.
The fine was imposed by ECP District Monitoring Officer for NA-31 Peshawar-V Shahabuddin who issued separate orders of imposition of a fine against Mr. Imran Khan, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, provincial ministers including Talmoor Saleem Khan Jhagra, Ishtiaq Urmar, Shaukat Yousafzai, Kamran Khan Bangash, Anwer Zeb Khan and Mohammad Iqbal Wazir, and aides to the CM Khaliqur Rehman and Wazirzada.
The DMO had issued notices to them on September 7, after holding the rally on September 6, asking them to explain their position.
In his order, the DMO said the perusal of evidence comprising videos, photos, and news clipping coupled with a report of a monitoring team had established that various public office-holders, including the chief minister, cabinet members, advisers, and special assistants, in contravention of Para17-B of the code of conduct, participated in the rally.
Para 17 (B) of the code of conduct states “the public office-holders including the president, prime minister, Senate chairman and deputy chairman, speaker and deputy speaker of any of the assemblies, federal ministers, ministers of state, governor, chief minister, provincial ministers, and advisers to the prime minister and chief minister should not attend a public meeting of any of the contesting candidates.”
