CEC Dr. Sikandar Sultan Raja questions Imran Khan’s win in recent by-polls

ISLAMABAD, Oct 20 (SABAH): Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr. Sikandar Sultan Raja questioned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s win in the recent by-polls, saying an elected member of the National Assembly cannot contest elections again.

The CEC made the remarks while presiding over a hearing regarding the violation of the election code of conduct by the PTI chairman when he held a rally in the NA-24 constituency of Charsadda prior to the by-polls. Three-member of ECP headed by CEC Dr. Sikandar Sultan Raja and Comprising Member ECP Sindh Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Member ECP Balochistan Shah Muhammad Jatoi heard the case against Imran Khan.

“Where is it written in the Constitution that if a person is a member of the National Assembly, he can again contest the election for being a member of the assembly?’ the CEC asked Imran’s counsel.

“Your client says there have been 150 resignations. Where are the resignations? Bring those resignations, we will accept them now,” added the CEC.

The former premier’s lawyer stated that the majority of the resignations are with the secretary of the National Assembly and that they were not sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The lawyer told further informed the ECP that no advisory was issued to the PTI chief to not attend the rally in Charsadda nor did he use any government resources for the public gathering.

The ECP then reserved its verdict in the election code of conduct violation case.

Earlier, the commission had imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each on former prime minister Imran Khan, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and his cabinet members for violating the code of conduct for the upcoming by-polls by attending a political rally in Peshawar and using state resources for it.