KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday issued a notice to Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab for allegedly violating its code of conduct, directing him to clarify his position by Saturday (today).

Taking notice of a press conference of the mayor held earlier in the day, Joint Election Commissioner Ali Asghar Sial stated that it was an attempt to influence the results of the Feb 8 elections.

In an indirect reference to the Pakistan Peoples Party, it said Mr Wahab had clearly given an impression that even being the mayor of Karachi he was supporting a specific political party.

It said that the ECP had in December 2023 notified its code of conduct for political parties, contesting candidates, and election and polling agents.

Point 18 of the code states that the president, prime minister, ministers, chief ministers, mayors, chairmen, nazims, their deputies and several others government functionaries must not participate in the election campaign.

As per Point 41 of the code, political parties, candidates, their supporters, government/local government functionaries or elected representatives, shall not announce or inaugurate, openly or secretly, their overall development schemes or development work or do anything which tends to influence the results of an election in favour of or against a particular candidate or political party after the announcement of the election schedule till the day of polling and shall not give any subscription or donation, or make promise for giving such subscription or donation, to any institution of their respective constituency or to any other intuition as well.

“However, contrary to the above, your today’s press conference clearly gives an impression that you as the mayor of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation are supporting a specific political party, your actions tend to influence the result of election in favour of that political party,” the notice added.

Asking him to submit a written reply by Saturday (today), the ECP warned the mayor that proceedings would be initated against him if he failed to reply.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2024

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