Staff Reporter Islamabad
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) dismissed a plea against Prime Minister Imran Khan submitted by the PPP over the issuance of funds to allegedly bribe lawmakers before the Senate polls.
PPP counsel Nayyar Hussain Bukhari had submitted a plea against the premier arguing the premier gave lawmakers assurances of giving development funds worth Rs500 million.
Bukhari said the Prime Minister violated Section 181 of the Election Act and “insulted” the ECP.
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 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.
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, ECP declared PPP’s petition non-maintainable.
