ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued notices to chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman, former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak for using indecent language during their election campaigns.

In its notices, the ECP deplored abusive, insolent and derogatory language used against other leaders that has been aired and published by the electronic and print media, besides doing the rounds on social media.

Pointing out that this was a clear violation of the code of conduct issued by it, the ECP asked the three political leaders to desist from the tendency and summoned them to appear before the commission on July 21 (Saturday).

Imran’s lawyer assures commission PTI chief won’t use word ‘donkey’ for opponents in future

Meanwhile, the ECP has issued directives to the National Database and Regi­s­t­ra­tion Authority (Nadra) for timely issuance of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) to the applicants so that the turnout of voters could be maximised during the general elections scheduled for July 25.

Nadra has been told to issue duplicate CNICs to the applicants with missing cards. It has also been directed not to seize the CNICs of those who seek amendments to their cards, till the issuance of new cards to them. “Irrespective of the fact if the applicants have applied in ordinary or urgent category, they should be issued cards by July 24,” the ECP said.

Production of original CNIC is essentially required for a voter to be enabled to exercise his right to franchise.

The notices were issued to the three senior politicians the day Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was on notice to appear before the ECP for using foul language against political opponents. Mr Khan had termed those going to welcome deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on his arrival from London “donkeys”.

Imran Khan’s counsel Babar Awan appeared before a four-member ECP bench headed by Abdul Ghaffar Soomro and argued that donkey was a “common word that was used by teachers for their students”.

Mr Awan informed the ECP bench that the PTI chief was busy campaigning in Lahore and, therefore, could not appear today. He then played Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq’s video clip in which the former National Assembly speaker had made derogatory remarks against the PTI, to which ECP’s member from Punjab Altaf Ibrahim remarked that more notices were also going to be issued.

The commission was not satisfied with Mr Awan’s explanation about the use of word donkey by a party chief and directed him to submit an assurance in black and white that it would not be done in future, which the counsel did on behalf of his client.

The hearing was put off till Aug 9.

Addressing a public meeting in Narowal, Imran Khan had said that any PML-N worker with a clear conscience would not go to the airport to receive Nawaz Sharif. “And whoever will go to receive him will be a donkey (fool),” he added.

Calling PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif a conman, the PTI chief had also said that anyone with a living conscience would not vote for the PML-N.

The issue had been raised in the Senate by Senator Saadia Abbasi who said she was among 37 members of the house going to greet Nawaz Sharif. “Are 37 donkeys sitting in this house?" she asked.

Noman Wazir of the PTI, however, defended his party chief’s words, asking what should those greeting a convicted criminal be called?

On Monday, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also asked the ECP to take action against former KP chief minister Pervez Khattak and Imran Khan for hurling abuses at political opponents.

PPP leader Maula Bux Chandio said the PTI chief and Mr Khattak had polluted the politics with their indecent language.

“Had Khattak done anything in the past five years, he would have talked about that, and not hurl abuses,” Mr Chandio said in an apparent reference to a video showing the former KP chief minister hurling abuses at the PPP and its supporters.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2018