The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken action against two federal ministers for violating election rules, imposing a Rs50,000 fine on Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and issuing a formal notice to Federal Minister Owais Leghari.
According to a letter sent by the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) Faisalabad to the ECP Secretary, Chaudhry repeatedly breached the election code of conduct despite being warned over the phone. The communication noted that he ignored two written notices, forcing the DMO to impose the monetary penalty.
The officer added that the case has been forwarded to the Election Commission for further proceedings.
In a separate development, the District Monitoring Officer DG Khan issued a notice to Federal Minister Owais Leghari for participating in the election campaign of candidate Mehmood Leghari in NA-185. The DMO stated that, as a federal minister, Owais Leghari is not permitted to take part in electioneering, terming it a clear violation of the code of conduct.
He has been instructed to appear and clarify his position regarding the alleged violation.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Punjab Election Commissioner said that both ministers have been directed to present their explanations on 21 November. The spokesperson emphasized that no minister or adviser is allowed to run or support an election campaign.
The Punjab Election Commissioner reaffirmed that immediate action will be taken against any breach of election rules, stressing the commission’s commitment to ensuring transparent and impartial elections across the province.
