ECP orders release of two candidates contesting for KP Assembly

ECP declared that arresting after the announcement of election schedule are tantamount to pre-poll r

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday ordered the release of two independent candidates contesting for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly.

ECP declared that arresting after the announcement of election schedule are tantamount to pre-poll rigging and simply benefiting the remaining candidates.

Both candidates, Muhammad Arif Wazir, who is contesting from PK-113, South Waziristan-1, and Muhammad Iqbal Masood, a candidate from PK-114, South Waziristan-1, were arrested under the Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance.

ECP stated that both candidates were arrested after the announcement of election commission and not when the First Investigation Report (FIR) was filed. ECP Chairperson Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza expressed, “It’s a clear indication of helping the remaining candidates in the constituency and also is tantamount to pre-poll rigging,”

ECP asserted that legal action can be taken against these candidates after the elections. ECP ordered to remove the Section 3 of the West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (PMO) against both candidates till polling day.