Election authorities on Thursday barred federal and provincial ministers from taking part in election campaigns in NA-149, where by-polls are due to be held on October 16.
Under election laws, the incumbent prime minister, chief ministers and cabinet members cannot participate in campaigns for any candidate in the constituency.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also asked the contesting candidates to conclude their election campaigns 48 hours before the polling day, as per rules.
The National Assembly seat NA-149 in Multan had fallen vacant after former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Javed Hashmi resigned from the seat. He subsequently announced that he would contest the seat as an independent candidate. It is believed that ruling PML-N is backing Hashmi in the by-elections.
The ECP further said that a candidate is allowed to convene or attend any public meeting 48 hours before voting is due to start, while the election campaign will end at midnight between October 14 and 15.
