The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday took notice of an alleged violation of its Code of Conduct by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar during election campaigning in NA-77 Gujranwala-I.
According to the ECP, Tarar travelled to the constituency by helicopter and addressed a campaign rally in support of PML-N candidate Rashid Basheer Virk.
The commission said public office holders, including federal ministers, are barred from participating in election campaigns.
The ECP has sought reports from the district monitoring officer and district returning officer and directed Tarar to appear before it in person. It also warned that the constituency’s election result could be withheld until a final decision is reached.
By-elections in NA-77 and Punjab Assembly constituency PP-203 Sahiwal-VI are scheduled for November 8. Both seats fell vacant following the deaths of PML-N lawmakers Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk and Chaudhry Hanif Jutt, respectively.
Rashid Basheer Virk, son of the late NA-77 lawmaker, is among 18 candidates contesting the National Assembly seat. Meanwhile, PML-N candidate Muhammad Asad Hanif Jutt is among the contenders for PP-203.
