The country’s top electoral authority made the decision in view of the ruling party’s public gathering in Swat on March 16. In view of the local government election, which is scheduled for March 31 in Swat, the ECP had imposed a ban on the participation of public office holders in public gatherings.

However, the premier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Communications and Postal Services Minister Murad Saeed, provincial ministers Amjad Ali and Mohibullah participated in the rally. They all have been fined Rs50,000 each.

The ECP had twice issued notices to PM Imran and other federal ministers over code of conduct violations. The last notice was sent on March 21 for addressing a political rally in KP’s Malakand.

It had directed the prime minister to appear before the Malakand district monitoring officer on March 22 at 10 am for the purpose. The notice also stated, “The premier had addressed the rally as part of the PTI’s election campaign and had used state resources.”

Earlier, it had served notice on March 11 to the premier and other federal ministers for addressing a public gathering in Lower Dir.

Following the ECP notices, the premier and Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court against notices. The petition stated that the notices had been issued despite new legislation regarding the election campaign.

The IHC, however, had refused to restrain the ECP from proceeding against the prime minister and another federal minister, saying that the ECP had a mandate to devise a code of conduct for transparent elections.