ECP slaps Rs50,000 fine on Azam Swati for violating code of conduct

• ECP directs minister to submit receipt of notice by March 17.
• In case of repeated violation, case will be forwarded to ECP for further action. 
• "Minister threatened voters with fund denial if they did not vote for Kamal Saleem," ECP says in notice. 

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has slapped Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati with a fine of Rs50,000 for running the election campaign for a candidate of the Mansehra city council in the second phase of Local Government (LG) polls, according to The News. 

The ECP has directed the minister to submit the receipt of the notice by March 17 for violating the commission's code of conduct.

The fine was imposed by District Election Commissioner Hayatullah Jan Marwat. In case of repeated violation, the case will be forwarded to ECP for further action. 

Last week, ECP had issued a notice to Swati and directed him to explain his position before his office.

According to the notice, "the minister threatened voters with fund denial if they did not vote for Kamal Saleem, a candidate for the Mansehra city council."

The notice also mentioned that "no public office holder or elected member shall use state resources to campaign for any candidate."