The Lahore High Court (LHC) yesterday suspended a notification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) barring MPs from taking part in election campaigns of other electoral candidates.
The LHC gave the ruling over a plea by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which had moved the court when the ECP issued a notification barring lawmakers from canvassing for other candidates after PTI chairman Imran Khan had announced to take part in the electoral drive for his party’s candidates for by-polls in the NA-122 and NA-154 constituencies.
The PTI is of the view that Khan is the party chairman and it is his responsibility to convey and propagate the party’s manifesto. In its plea, the PTI has contended that barring the party chief from election campaign does not come under the jurisdiction of the ECP.
Shortly after the LHC’s order suspending the ECP notification, Khan took to Twitter announcing that he would campaign for his party’s candidate for the upcoming NA-122 by-election.
Khan claimed that the ECP’s “undemocratic electoral rule (was) specifically made to keep me out of campaigning in bye- elections”.
Khan has earlier announced a massive rally for October 4 in Islamabad.
Also read:ECP bars political rallies, orders removal of banners, billboards for LG polls, Punjab
