KP LB elections: ECP fines Bilawal Bhutto, PPP leaders over violations

PESHAWAR: Top Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership including Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been fined, and issued show-cause notices by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over violations during local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Information Minister Saeed Ghani, MNAs Khursheed Shah, and Qadir Patel, and party’s Sindh leader Nisar Khuhro have been fined over violating the code of conduct during the local bodies elections in the province.

They would have to submit Rs50,000 each in the national treasury.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also imposed a Rs50,000 fine on Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur for violating the code of conduct for the local body elections.

The election body has directed the federal minister to submit a fine in the national treasury by Friday.

The ECP also warned Ali Amin Gandapur to be aware of violating the election code in the future otherwise ECP holds the right to suspend his membership.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) earlier barred Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan from visiting Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

According to the letter penned by the regional election commissioner, the prime minister was asked not to visit Peshawar ahead of scheduled local bodies elections in the KP on December 19.

As LB polls are being conducted on December 19 in Peshawar in the first, the expected visit of the premier will be considered as a violation of the code of conduct, the ECP said.

The president, prime minister and governors cannot visit the area after the announcement of the election schedule, the letter read.