Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought reply from Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin on Election Monitoring Team (EMT) complaint pertaining to violation of electoral code of conduct by him in NA-120, Lahore.
A 2-member bench of ECP led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Sardar Raza on Tuesday took up a complaint for hearing, filed by EMT on violation of code of conduct by Punjab Minister Bilal Yasin in NA-120.
EMT had taken plea in its complaint that the minister took part in a rally held under Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in NA-120 in connection with election campaign of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. It is violation of electoral code of conduct. CEC had issued notice to Bilal Yasin and summoned him on September 5 but he did not appear before the ECP.
CEC while expressing displeasure over non-appearance of Bilal Yasin remarked that the minister was violating code of conduct in by-polls in NA-120. Shahzad Shaukat counsel for Bilal Yasin also did not appear before the court. His assistant appeared.
The CEC has sought reply from Bilal Yasin till September 7 in this regard remarking if Bilal Yasin is found involved in violating code of conduct then the show-cause notice about his disqualification will be issued to him on next hearing.
CEC Justice (retd) Sardar Raza remarked, “The ruling party has made code of conduct a gossip. If the ruling party is involved in violation of code of conduct then the other candidates will also do so in election campaign’.
