CM Afridi challenges ECP summons on code breach in PHC

• CM summoned for "attending" campaign event for by-poll.
• ECP says CM issued "threats to officials and especially voters".
• Afridi says he did not campaign or violate ECP rules.
  

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday moved to the Peshawar High Court (PHC), challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) summoning order over the violation of "Code of Conduct."

CM Afridi, in his petition, maintained that he was summoned by the ECP "without any valid reason or justification."

The ECP had summoned the chief minister for “participating” in the campaign for the by-election in NA-18. According to the ECP, CM Afridi had attended an election gathering near Havelian, in relation to the upcoming by-election for which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Shehrnaz Khan, wife of former National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub.

The chief minister said that he neither conducted any election campaign nor violated any ECP Code of Conduct, requesting the court to declare the notice issued by the electoral body "null and void."

The petitioner argued that the ECP's action "violates" Articles 9, 10A, 17, and 25 of the Constitution.

The ECP had also sought the deployment of the army and civil armed forces for the by-polls, over what it called CM Afridi's "threats" and use of "provocative language" against public officials.

In letters addressed to the respective secretaries of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior, they drew attention to CM Afridi's recent speech, alleging that he "clearly threatened" district administration, police officers, and ECP officials engaged with the by-elections due on November 23.

"Regrettably, he [KP CM} used offensive language which amounts to harassing and unduly influencing them which may prevent them [officials] from effective performance of their duties," the letter reads.

CM Afridi had clarified his statement and said that it was "taken out of context."

"I was not campaigning for anybody. I said yesterday that there should be no rigging," he said on Thursday.