PM Imran visits Peshawar despite Election Commission's directive
Says PM’s visit ahead of LG polls in KP violation of election code
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Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Peshawar on Wednesday despite a directive from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not to visit there in view of the forthcoming local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Reacting to the ECP bar for the prime minister, KP Minister for High Education Kamran Bangash clarified that the prime minister's visit was official in nature and he will only take part in a ceremony at the Governor's House. The prime minister is not attending any election or public rally, he added.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan has stopped Prime Minister Imran Khan from visiting Peshawar in view of the forthcoming local government polls which are scheduled to be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 19.
The election commission forbade the prime minister to visit Peshawar as the commission deemed it a violation of the election code if the head of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would visit the city. The ECP has also issued a reminder to Prime Minister Imran Khan in this regard.
As per the schedule, the local government polls will be held in Peshawar in the first phase. The ECP considers it a violation of the election code if the prime minister visits the area where the election schedule has already been announced.
The election commission said that as per the election code, the president, prime minister or governors after the announcement of the polls schedule could not visit the concerned area for the purpose of launching some development schemes there.
The commission warned that the violation might entail legal action against the violator.
Prime Minister Imran Khan was due to visit Peshawar today to inaugurate the Pakistan Card initiative in the metropolitan city.
Reporter Usman Khan