Cabinet approves amendments to ECP’s code of conduct: sources

The federal government is all set to amend the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) code of conduct paving the way for ministers and parliamentarians to run election campaigns of their favourite candidates in the country, said well-placed sources.

Sources privacy to the matter said that the federal cabinet had approved amendments to the ECP’s code of conduct. “All the political parties have reservations over the code of conduct introduced by the ECP,” the sources said.

The government has decided to amend the code of conduct through a presidential ordinance.

After the new amendments to the ECP’s laws, all the ministers and parliamentarians could run election campaigns and address public gatherings in support of their candidates.    

Conforming the report, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that two important bills seeking permission for parliamentarians to participate in election campaigns and regulating the social media have been sent to the federal cabinet for formal approval.

Taking to Twitter, the minister said that insulting the dignity of another person on social media will be made a punishable offence.

Underscoring the need for speedy justice, Fawad Chaudhry said that the courts will be bound to decide the cases within six months.

On February 7, the ECP had disqualified Umar Amin Gandapur, brother of Federal Minister For Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, from contesting local body elections for violating the Code of Conduct announced by the commission for the local government elections in the province.

However, on the next day, the Islamabad High Court had suspended the ECP’s order to disqualify Umar Amin Gandapur from contesting elections.

The ECP had also directed federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur not to attend any political gathering or corner meeting till the culmination of the polls.

Earlier,  the Election Commission had also issued notice to  PM Imran Khan for violating the election laws and attending political meetings ahead of local bodies polls.