ECP bars political parties, candidates from defaming Army, judiciary in election campaigns

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani authorities have announced the election date after months of speculations and now top political parties are gearing up for the much-anticipated polls, and now the country’s top election watchdog has barred candidates from defaming state institutions.

A report shared by Arab News said Election Commission of Pakistan has restricted political parties from pushing anti-army and anti-judiciary campaigns, and under the latest directives, no parties or candidates will be allowed to disseminate material that ridicule institutions.

ECP, in a draft code of conduct, said political parties, contesting candidates, and election agents shall not propagate any opinion, or act in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality or public order, or the integrity or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule any Government institution including the judiciary and the Armed Forces of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, ECP has not made the document due to some changes and the final version would be issued in a week time.

It maintained that there would be no space for incitement to violence or resort to violence during pre-poll campaigns or during polling hours. No person should use language that could cause violence or resort to violence.

The development comes as the former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which is in apparently in shambles, remained critic of country’s military establishment, and other agencies.

PTI chief who remained behind bars for over 100 days is standing nowhere in election scenario in wake of sentence in graft case. Khan, 71, is facing over 150 legal cases related to incitement to violence, blasphemy, terrorism and leaking state secrets.

Khan was sentenced under the government of PDM alliance which was led by former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.