ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday gave the aide of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister time till March 26 to respond to a notice served on him.
The hearing on the notice against Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Sohail Afridi, Shafi Ullah Jan, was held by an ECP bench while Advocate Ali Bukhari appeared on behalf of Jan. Bukhari took the stand that the remarks being attributed to Jan were not intentional, urging the electoral body to reconsider its notice.
Through the notice, the Election Commission of Pakistan had given notice to Jan to explain his position in relation to his statement on YouTube channel “Charsadda Journalist” a few weeks back in terms of Article 218(3) of the Constitution read with Sections 4 and 10 of the Elections Act, 2017. According to social media reports, he had accused the ECP of irregularities during the Haripur-18 by-elections last year. He had also claimed that Form 47 was issued from Islamabad instead of the returning officer’s office.
Meanwhile, the ECP has withheld the election symbol of Istehkam Pakistan Tehreek for not holding intra-party elections and not submitting annual returns to the electoral body. The case was heard by a five-member commission bench, headed by the chief election commissioner. No representative from the IPT appeared before the forum.
During the hearing, the DG Political Finance briefed the commission and said IPT was not following its constitution and the Elections Act. According to the party constitution, its intra-party elections are required to be held every four years, while the intra-party elections of IPT were to be held in January 2026, which did not happen.
He said the party has also not submitted details of annual funds and expenses. He suggested withholding its poll symbol and even delisting it.
The commission adjourned the hearing till March 26.
