IHC restrains ECP to act against PM Imran Khan over Code of Conduct

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued restraining order over the election commission’s notice against Prime Minister Imran Khan, ARY NEWS reported.

Earlier, Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan appeared before a bench of the high court headed by Justice Aamir Farooq in the hearing.

“If the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) could abrogate the new amended election ordinance,” the bench asked the AGP. “The ECP was not empowered to cancel the ordinance,” AGP replied.

“The election commission has made the election code of conduct under 218 (3), if an ordinance could abrogate the code of conduct,” the bench further questioned.

“An issue of this nature came before the Supreme Court,” attorney general said and also quoted the court’s decision. “The prime minister could not remain impartial while attending political activities,” AGP said. “How could the star performer being separated in the parliamentary government,” he questioned. “This could not relate to our constitutional scheme,” he said.

“The ECP should ensure preventing announcement of a government scheme. The election commission could say that a minister could use an official car.” “The prime minister has directed in writing about spending his own money for party expenses,” he said. “Never heard that the election commission prevents the prime minister to go anywhere,” AGP said. “The ECP is acting like ‘Daddy'”, Khalid Jawed said.

“The prime minister Imran Khan using the government machinery and helicopter for the election campaign,” the ECP told the court. “If these have been used, the expenses will be deposited in the national exchequer,” AGP said.

The IHC bench restrained the ECP from any action against the PM Imran Khan.

Earlier, the high court had asked PM Imran Khan and Asad Umar to join the ECP proceedings over violation of code of conduct.

The directive came from the IHC bench after the prime minister Imran Khan sought the court’s help to suspend an ECP notice served to him for attending rallies ahead of local bodies elections in the KP province.