PTI to hold rallies in Karachi without permission from local administration
Deputy Commissioner says that PTI chairman violated ECP's code of conduct by holding rally.
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday has been barred from conducting a rally in Lyari as the administration refused to grant a security clearance for the gathering. The Deputy Commissioner of East Karachi issued a letter to the Secretary of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stating that no Parliamentarian was allowed to directly participate in the electoral campaigns.
The Deputy Commissioner stated that PTI chairman Imran Khan had violated ECP’s code of conduct for the Local Government (LG) polls by holding the rally, referencing Khan’s earlier address to a gathering at Shahrah-e-Faisal.
The District Returning Officer (DRO) has also issued a copy of the letter to the Governor, Chief Secretary, Inspector General (IG) Sindh and Commissioner Karachi. A request has been made in the letter to the ECP to take action against Khan. The letter also stated that PTI had not requested any permission for their earlier rally.
The PTI chairman will address the ISF convention at 10:00 AM today (Sunday) at Korangi Expressway. He will also reach Kakari ground Lyari at around 1:30 PM and is expected to address the rally. However, clearance for the address is yet to be granted. Khan will also visit Five Star Chowrangi North Nazimabad and Abul Hassan Isfahani road.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has also announced to conduct a rally in Karachi which will leave from Bilawal Chowrangi. The rally will be led by the Central and Provincial leadership of the party.
Earlier on Saturday, in joint rally with Jamaat Islami (JI), PTI chairman had lashed out at the ECP once again, saying that stopping party chairman from election campaign is dictatorship and not democracy.
Khan said two cases have already been registered and that it seems a third First Information Report (FIR) is in order. He said the ECP is destroying democracy.
Addressing the campaign rally at Shahra-e-Faisal, PTI chief had asked why he was being stopped from election campaign when he doesn’t hold any office.
