NA-249: Murad Saeed, Shehryar Afridi, Qadir Patel, others served notices over violation of ECP code

KARACHI: At least four lawmakers of the National Assembly have been served show-cause notices by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over violation of the ECP code of conduct, ARY News reported.

According to details, a monitoring team of the ECP issued the notice to the National Assembly members for “trying to influence the elections” in the NA-249 constituency.

The ECP has also issued notice to the Sindh Assembly lawmaker over violation of code of conduct.

PPP stalwarts Qaim Ali Shah, Khursheed Shah and Nasir Hussain Shah have also been issued notices by the state institute demanding answers for their participation and campaigning in favor of the party candidate in the constituency.

The PTI lawmakers were issued notices after they announced to run an election campaign in the national assembly constituency ahead of the April 29 by-elections.

The ECP yesterday barred the federal ministers from participating in NA-249 by-poll electioneering after Murad Saeed and Shaheryar Afridi announced to hold rallies in the constituency.

Read More: NA-249 by poll: ECP bars federal ministers from attending PTI rallies

The election commission of Pakistan has also sought an explanation from PTI candidate Amjad Afridi over the announcement of federal ministers’ scheduled participation in the election campaign.

Amjad Afridi has been directed to submit a reply within three days.

Murad Saeed seeks ‘level playing field’

Federal Minister Murad Saeed has said that the election commission has tied our hands while given a free hand to the opposition.

Federal Communications Minister was commenting on the ECP’s decision to prevent him from taking part in the NA-249 by-election in Karachi.

میرے کراچی جانے سے پہلے ہی نوٹس لئے جا رہے ہیں کیا پہلے بھی کبھی ایسا ہوا ہے ؟ کس سیاسی جماعت کو خوف ہے جو میرے کراچی جانے پر بھی اعتراض اٹھا رہی ہے ؟ ہم آئینی اداروں کا احترام اور قواعد کی پاسداری کرتے ہیں امید ہے یہ پابندی تمام سیاسی جماعتوں کے رہنماؤں کے لئے ہوگی

— Murad Saeed (@MuradSaeedPTI) April 8, 2021

“We respect the institutions but the law should be equal for all,” he said. He demanded a level playing field for all political parties.

NA-249 election campaign

With all eyes set on the vacant National Assembly seat in Karachi, the major political parties who have fielded their candidates for the important NA-249 by-poll have intensified their respective election campaigns in the constituency.

The most prominent candidates who are running for the NA-249 seat include Mustafa Kamal of the PSP Miftah Ismail from the PML-N and Amjad Afridi of PTI.

The NA-249 seat had fallen vacant after Faisal Vawda of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) resigned from the National Assembly for his Senate seat. In the 2018 general elections, Vawda had defeated PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif in the constituency with a narrow margin.

Miftah Ismail, the PML-N candidate and former finance minister, has stepped up his election campaign.

He visited the JUI-F office and thanked the party for withdrawing its candidate in his favor. The JUI-F had fielded Maulana Umar Sadiq, a former MPA from Baldia Town, for the by-polls.

Earlier, the Awami National Party (ANP) had announced withdrawal of its candidate in favor of Ismail for the by-election in NA-249. The ANP had fielded Haji Aurangzeb Khan Buneri, but withdrew his candidacy after talks with the PML-N.

The by election in the NA-249 constituency will be held on April 29.