Punjab Governor Ahmed Mahmood has taken notice of the news regarding violation of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) code of conduct by the Punjab University administration by facilitating an election campaign of a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate at the university’s campus.
The Punjab University on Sunday had arranged a breakfast for Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan, a PML-N candidate for NA-126, the area under which PU New Campus falls, followed by interaction and canvassing among the university teachers and staff.
Sources in the Governor’s House claimed that the governor, also chancellor of the Punjab University, took notice of the news published in a section of the media regarding violation of the ECP’s code of conduct and telephoned PU VC Mujahid Kamran on Monday, asking him to submit his explanation in this regard.
On the other hand, PU administration is all set to launch a paid campaign, through advertisements in the media, to dispel the impression that it is involved in any political campaign or favouring any political party from Tuesday, sources in Punjab University Finance Department claimed. “Through contents of the ad, the varsity’s administration would try to prove that it had not arranged any breakfast for Khawaja and the company neither it had facilitated him for any political campaign. It will also be clarified through those ads that the PU administration had not any inclination toward any specific party,” the source further added.
When asked, PU Director Public Relations (DPR) Israr Rana categorically denied that the governor had taken any notice of the event or he made any phone call to PU VC Mujahid Kamran. “When such an event had not been taken place on the PU premises, taking notice by the governor was out of question,” Rana said. He confirmed that the PU was going to launch an advertisement campaign from Tuesday to dispel the impression that it was not favouring any political party and it had not arranged breakfast for Khawaja Hassaan as was published by different news papers.
Meanwhile, the Punjab University spokesman termed the news item published in various dailies regarding a breakfast hosted for the PML-N candidates baseless and false. The spokesman clarified that such news items were being published at the behest of a political party. The spokesman said that as many as 1,000 teachers and employees were residing at New Campus Colony with their families and some days ago, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaqat Baloch visited the colony as part of his election campaign. Likewise, other candidates also visited the university’s residential area and PU administration had no any link with them, he added. The spokesman said PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran neither hosted any breakfast for Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan nor did he participate in the said breakfast.
