ECP to issue notice to PM Kakar over interim ministers’ involvement in influencing polls

• Decision taken in 5-member ECP panel meeting headed by CEC Raja.
• AAG stated ECP hadn't previously issued any notice about case.
• Commission also issued eagle as party symbol to IPP in meeting.

ISLAMABAD: Taking action against interim ministers for allegedly interfering in matters related to the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has instructed the issuance of a notice to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, The News reported on Friday.

Headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, a five-member ECP panel, convened to address the aforementioned issue on Thursday.

During the session, the additional advocate general (AAG) said that the electoral authority had not previously issued any notice regarding the case, following which the commission directed the issuance of a notice to the caretaker prime minister and adjourned the hearing of the case until the following Tuesday.

Moreover, the ECP assigned Eagle as a symbol to the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), which was formerly associated with the now-delisted All Pakistan Muslim League (APM-L), a political party founded by the late president Pervez Musharraf.

A three-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and consisting of ECP members Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Justice (R) Ikram Ullah Khan, issued the order in the case, which was heard on October 23 and the verdict was reserved.

The electoral body also issued an order in relation to the implementation of the code of conduct for by-election in NA-24, Charsadda-II, last year. On notice were PTI Chairman Imran Khan and then chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mehmood Khan.

The order was issued by a three-member bench, led by Nisar Ahmed Durrani, which read: “The language of above said clauses is unambiguous, that Chief Minister can neither participate in election campaign in favour of a particular candidate nor can use state resources. Also the Chief Minister is/was legally bound to abide by the code of conduct (COC) in letter and spirit.

"However, plea taken by the learned counsel for respondents seems genuine in the circumstances of the case, which is accepted, hence the notice issued to the respondents on September 19, 2022 is withdrawn”.