Pakistan: Election Commission takes action against code of conduct violation

Balochistan [Pakistan], January 22 (ANI): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Balochistan has expedited a crackdown against violations of the election code of conduct in Quetta, said spokesman of the provincial election commissioner, ARY News reported.

On the directives of Quetta’s District Monitoring Officer, the election monitoring teams and the district administration took notice of the violations of the election code of conduct and removed the illegal election materials in a large-scale operation in Quetta City.

As per the ECP’s code of conduct for political parties and candidates, it is prohibited to put any kind of election materials on all government properties (buildings, poles, bridges etc.)

Similarly, panaflex, hoardings and billboards are also completely banned.

The ECP spokesperson said that all the political parties and candidates are requested to show responsibility by fully adhering to the code of conduct issued by the ECP.

The ECP warned: “Otherwise, action will be taken against the violators under the Election Act, 2017.”

The monitoring teams of the ECP on Friday imposed a collective fine of Pakistani rupee ( PKR) 85,000 on different candidates vying for the General Elections 2024 for ‘violating’ the election code in various constituencies of the country.

According to ECP, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate from PB-07 (Ziarat) Noor Muhammad has been fined PKR 40,000 as he was found violating the election code of conduct.

In Mardan, a fine of PKR 25,000 was imposed on Zulfiqar Khan contesting from PK-58 and PKR 10,000 on ANP’s candidate Gohar Ali Shah from PK-54. PML-N’s Jamshed Khan from PK-61 was fined for PKR 10,000.