ISLAMABASD   -   The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Railways Minister Azam Swati for violating the elections code of conduct (CoC) by taking part in election campaign.

Azam Swati had allegedly taken part in election campaign for a candidate of Mansehra city council in the second phase of local government (LG) polls in Khyer Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

ECP has also summoned candidate Kamal Saleem Swati and asked to appear before the District Election Commissioner on March 10 (today). The ECP has also taken notice of panaflex banners and wall chalking in Swat, Shangla, Lower Dir, and Chitral.

The Commission has also halted disbursement of cash handouts under the Ehsaas programme in Upper Dir until conclusion of the local government elections. It is noteworthy that the ECP has decided to formulate a new code of conduct for the upcoming local government and 2023 general elections. It convened a meeting that was attended by representatives of political parties. People’s Party’s Farhatullah Babar, PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal, Farrukh Habib of PTI, Zahid Hamid and Taj Haider attended the meeting with the ECP officials. It was decided to prepare a new code of conduct for General Election 2023 and local bodies election.