PESHAWAR: District returning officer for PK-115, Aziz Bahadar has issued notice to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Shah Mohammad and contesting candidate Abid-ul-Rehman over violation of code of conduct of the Election Commission of Pakistan for the provincial assembly elections in the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The notice said being a member of the provincial assembly the PTl lawmaker was barred from participating in the election campaign of any contesting candidate. Under the ECP code of conduct, it said all government functionaries and elected representatives were forbidden from announcing development schemes and making monetary promises that included allocation of development funds during the election campaign.

DRO Mr Bahadar said the MPA intentionally and openly attempted to influence the voters by promising allocation/ release of funds to a particular candidate upon election to the provincial assembly and dissuaded voters not to vote for other contesting candidates by threat of nonallocation of funds in case anyone of the rest of the candidates was elected.

The notice said Abid-ul-Rehman, being a contesting candidate of PTl and direct beneficiary of the violation committed by MPA Shah Mohammad, was prima facie responsible in the abetment of the above violations. The notice asked the MPA and the candidate to appear in person or though their counsel before the DRO on July 11.-Bureau Report