Alleged Violation Of Code Of Conduct By PTI
The Islamabad High Court has allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan to proceed against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for the alleged violation of a code of conduct.
A bench of the court withdrew an order issued this year restraining the Commission from proceeding against Mr. Khan for addressing public gatherings and campaigning in different constituencies even after the announcement of by-elections there.
The court vacated the stay order during the hearing of Mr. Khan’s petition filed against the Commission’s notice issued to him for the alleged violation of the code of conduct.
The Chief had challenged the notice issued against him by the district election commissioners and the Election Commission that banned lawmakers and party heads from visiting constituencies for by-election campaigns.
During the hearing, the counsel for the Election Commission adopted that the Commission had issued similar notices to a number of politicians for violating the code of conduct.
It was also pointed out that all politicians, except the PTI chief, had tendered an unconditional apology to the Election Commission that was accepted by the competent authority.
The counsel stated that Mr. Khan not only violated the code of conduct but also was reluctant to respond to the notice.
The judge was informed that the petitioner’s side was absent. Subsequently, the court lifted the restraining order and adjourned further proceedings till the third week of October.
Mr. Khan had filed the petition through his counsel, who argued that as the PTI chairman the petitioner led different by-elections and other polls-related activities throughout the country that was a right guaranteed by Article 16 of Constitution.
The petition further stated that the Election Commission’s notice issued to was illegal. It stated that those MNAs and MPAs who did not hold any office or government position cannot be treated at a par with those who held certain portfolios. “This makes it obvious that the Election Commission had issued the notification keeping Imran Khan in mind.”
Preventing the petitioner, who was the head of a party, from campaigning and addressing public meetings in constituencies where by-elections would take place, was a violation of Article 16, 17 and 19 of the Constitution.
