ECP rejects PPP plea against PM Imran Khan over issuance of development funds

• ECP disposes PPP’s petition against PM Imran Khan regarding allocation of development funds
• PPP counsel Nayyar Hussain Bukhari had submitted a plea against the premier arguing the premier gave lawmakers assurances of giving development funds before Senate polls
  
• Bukhari says premier violated Section 181 of the Election Act and "insulted" the ECP

ECP declared PPP's petition non-maintainable on Tuesday.

PPP counsel Nayyar Hussain Bukhari had submitted a plea against the premier regarding corrupt practices in the Senate election.

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A three-member ECP bench headed by Irshad Qaiser, a member from Khyber Paktunkhwa, heard the petition.

Bukhari argued that PM Khan met lawmakers after the announcement of the Senate election schedule. He said the premier violated Section 181 of the Election Act, while Imran Khan also "insulted" the ECP.

He told the ECP bench that NA lawmakers used to cast votes for electing senators and a corrupt practice was made by the issuance of development funds to legislators.

Bukhari said four PTI MNAs confessed to taking funds during a TV programme so the ECP should send notices to these four MNAs and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The code of conduct does not mention the release of funds by the Prime Minister, the bench said.

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Bukhari said PM Khan had assured senators he would give them Rs500 million of development funds.

An ECP member from Balochistan said that the code of conduct mentions only the President and governors, not the Prime Minister.

After hearing the arguments, the ECP bench reserved its verdict. Shortly afterwards, it rejected Bukhari's petition.