Imran Khan's party PTI tops list of poll code violators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local elections

Peshawar [Pakistan], March 31 (ANI): While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing no-confidence motion in National Assembly over corruption and mis-governance, his party Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) topped the list of poll code violators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) local elections.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday said that the PTI committed more violations of the code of conduct during the campaign for local government elections in KP than other parties and independent candidates put together, reported Dawn.
The total number of reported violations of the code was 154. The PTI was responsible for 87 (56.49 per cent) of them while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz committed 10 (6.49 pc).
The number of violations by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and the Jamaat-i-Islami stood at eight each (5.19 pc), while the Pakistan Peoples Party committed four (2.59 pc) violations, reported Dawn.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan topped the list of those who repeatedly violated the code of conduct despite warnings by the district monitoring officers.
Both of them addressed rallies in Lower Dir, Swat, Malakand and Mansehra on March 11, 16, 20 and 25 respectively and were fined Rs 50,000 for three of the four violations. A decision on the Mansehra event is pending.
According to a summary released by the ECP, fines to the tune of Rs 1.876 million have so far been imposed on the violators.
The revised code of conduct was prepared by the ECP for the second phase of local government elections scheduled for Thursday, reported Dawn.
The revised code bars holders of public offices from taking part in any election campaign. Among them are the President, the Prime Minister, the chairman and the deputy chairman of Senate, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly as well as provincial assemblies, federal ministers, ministers of state, governors, chief ministers, provincial ministers and advisers to the prime minister.
Likewise, political parties and candidates have been barred from arranging public meetings, processions and car rallies, but they have been allowed to stage corner meetings, reported Dawn. (ANI)