ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday clarified his statement about the NA-18 by-election, which had prompted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to request the army’s deployment.
The ECP sought the deployment of army and civil armed forces for the by-polls, over what it called CM Afridi’s “threats” and use of “provocative language” against public officials.
However, the KP chief minister — speaking to journalists outside the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi — said that his remarks during a political gathering speech at Chamba on Wednesday had been “taken out of context”.
“I was not campaigning for anybody. I said yesterday that there should be no rigging,” he added.
CM Afridi also pointed out that authorities had repeatedly refused to allow him to meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
The PTI leader said that he had been refused the meeting for the seventh time since his election as the chief minister, despite his requests to the federal government and the provincial government of Punjab.
“Not only are we denied access to Imran Khan, but his sisters were also manhandled and injured by the authorities,” he added.
His clarification came shortly after the ECP, in separate letters addressed to the respective secretaries of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior, drew attention to CM Afridi’s recent speech, alleging that he “clearly threatened” district administration, police officers, and ECP officials engaged with the by-elections due on November 23.
“Regrettably, he [KP CM} used offensive language which amounts to harassing and unduly influencing them which may prevent them [officials] from effective performance of their duties,” the letter reads.
The electoral body’s concerns are linked with CM Afridi’s speech at Chamba, near Havelian, in relation to the upcoming by-election for which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Shehrnaz Khan, wife of former National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub.
During his speech, the CM issued a stern warning to local political actors in Haripur, claiming that some individuals had “changed their votes” ahead of the November 23 by-election, The News reported.
Urging voters to support PTI in the upcoming by-election, he warned the local administration and law-enforcement agencies against any attempt to manipulate results. “If the people’s mandate is tampered with, the consequences will not be good. Any attempt at rigging will create a serious situation,” he said.
Stressing that justice was being denied and democratic norms were being undermined, CM Afridi said: “The situation now leaves only one option — and we will definitely adopt it,” he cautioned, without specifying what that option might be.
Citing his speech, the electoral body, however, has said that the provincial chief executive has “created live threats to the election officials and especially voters”, and highlighted that a “fugitive” was also accompanying him, and there has been no action by the authorities concerned against him.
Apart from seeking the army and civil armed forces’ deployment to protect the lives of ECP officials, voters and the public, the electoral body has also issued a notice to KP CM Afridi flagging “violation of code of conduct”.
Highlighting that his speech targeted police, election officials (DRO/RO) and district administration, the ECP pointed out that the Section 170 of the Elections At 2017 and Clauses 18 and 18 of the Code of Conduct was violated as these provisions “categorically forbid CMs from taking part in any election campaign and further prohibits incitement of the public to violence and/or indtimiation of public officials and voters by use of such language”.
The letter, addressed to the KP chief secretary, says that the provincial election commissioner has been directed to hold a meeting with CM Afridi and KP IG, along with relevant officers, to assess the situation.
The meeting is scheduled to be held at 12pm tomorrow (Friday) and by-polls candidate Shehrnaz has also been issued a notice to appear before the electoral body.
Furthermore, the ECP, in its press release, has said that not only has the conduct of by-election become “difficult” but the lives of the people deployed on election duties, police and voters have been put at risk due to the “irresponsible” behaviour of the provincial chief executive.
The body has also decided that if any individual, personality or public office holder tries to interfere or disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election, strict legal action will be taken against them.
Punjab’s Provincial Election Commissioner has been directed that if any official of the federal or provincial government violates the code of conduct or tries to influence the by-election, strictest action will be taken as per the Constitution and law. –Agencies
