ECP bars Imran from attending Rawalpindi rally

He was scheduled to attend a rally in Taxila in connection to by-election campaign for his party. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also issued notice in this regard, after the orders were issued by returning officer in PP-7.

The ECP said that elected representatives were not allowed to participate in a rally under the election rules.

The seat fell vacant after the death of PTI lawmaker Mohammad Siddique Khan, the brother of Ghulam Sarwar. With the support of Jamaat-i-Islami, PTI and PML-N have emerged as main contenders in PP-7 by-election scheduled to be held on September 26.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) constituted a larger bench for hearing of a petition seeking a court order against PTI march towards Raiwind.

The bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar will hear the petitions against the protest. Justice Anwarul Haq and Justice Mohammad Qasim Khan will be other members of the bench. The bench will resume hearing of the petitions next week.

Earlier, LHC Justice Shahid Karim had asked the chief justice to constitute a larger bench to hear a petition seeking orders to stop PTI chief Imran Khan from leading a procession to Raiwind, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has his personal residence and lives with his family.