IHC refuses to stop ECP from acting against PM Imran

The Islam­abad High Court (IHC) declined to issue an interim order on Friday to restrain the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from proceeding against Prime Minister Imran Khan and federal ministers for allegedly violating the code of conduct during the ongoing campaign for local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ECP earlier issued notices to Prime Minister Khan, KP Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, federal ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Murad Saeed, and others for allegedly violating the canvassing rules ahead of the polls.

The second phase of local government election in the remaining 18 out of 35 KP districts is set to take place on March 31. Meanwhile, the first phase of local government polls in 17 out of 36 districts of Punjab are due in the last week of May.

After receiving the ECP notices, PM Khan and Planning Minister Asad Umar petitioned the IHC. The court registrar’s office then raised administrative objections to the petition, which were later removed by the prime minister and the petition was subsequently fixed for a hearing by Justice Aamer Farooq.