PESHAWAR: The Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday served a second notice on Prime Minister Imran Khan to explain his position on the allegation of violating the code of conduct for the second phase of local body elections in 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The notice was issued by District Monitoring Officer of Malakand Ziaur Rehman through the prime minister’s secretary.

The first notice was issued to the prime minister by Malakand’s DMO on March 20 when Mr Khan allegedly violated the code of conduct by addressing a rally in Malakand district, where elections would be held on March 31.

In the first notice, the DMO urged PM Khan to appear in person or through his counsel before him on March 22 to explain his position.

“In continuation of this office notice issued on March 20, you were required to appear in person or through counsel before the undersigned today on 22, 3, 2022, to explain your position regarding violation of code of conduct. However, despite service of notice, you have failed to do so.”

In the second notice issued on Tuesday, the prime minister has once again been urged to appear before the DMO on March 24. “In case failure for the second time it will be presumed that you have nothing in defence and your case would be decided in your absence under relevant law, rules and available record,” reads the second notice.

It is worth mentioning that the DMO of Swat has also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each on PM Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and provincial ministers Dr Amjad and Muhibullah Khan on March 21 for violating the Election Commission of Pakistan’s code of conduct by holding a public gathering in Swat on March 16.

The Malakand’s DMO has also served second notices to federal ministers Murad Saeed and Syed Ali Haider Zaidi and provincial minister Shakeel Khan for addressing the public rally in Malakand along with the prime minister.

They were issued first notices on March 20, but none of them appeared before the DMO in person or through council.

Bilawal warned

The Malakand’s DMO has also advised Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari not to attend the planned public rally to be held on March 23.

In the advisory issued to the PPP chairman the DMO said it had come in his knowledge from social media that he would address a congregation in Dargai tehsil of Malakand district on March 23.

“Keeping in view the code of conduct for local body elections, you are advised not to attend/participate in any congregation or to do any action that is against the code of conduct and directive issued by the ECP failing which necessary action as per law will be initiated,” reads the advisory.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2022