PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) maintains its interim relief in the high-profile case involving the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, barring the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing any final adverse orders such as disqualification or heavy penalties while permitting ongoing inquiries.
The legal battle centers around the Chief Minister’s challenge to the ECP’s jurisdiction and the maintainability of disciplinary proceedings initiated over alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct during a by-election.
While the court has allowed the electoral body to continue its hearings and fact-finding process, the restriction on delivering a final verdict keeps the Chief Minister’s immediate political future protected under the ongoing stay order. Legal experts note that the ultimate resolution of this jurisdictional challenge will carry significant political weight for the provincial government, as any ruling on code violations could introduce severe legislative and office-bearing complications.
The legal battle between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has intensified, centering on a jurisdictional challenge regarding an alleged code of conduct violation during last November’s NA-18 Haripur by-election.
The ECP initiated disciplinary proceedings against Chief Minister Afridi and PTI candidate Shahnaz Umar Ayub, claiming that a public speech delivered by the Chief Minister breached electoral guidelines.
However, challenging the electoral watchdog’s notice in the Peshawar High Court (PHC), the Chief Minister’s legal team has firmly contested the ECP’s authority to hear the matter. According to the defense counsel, the speech in question was delivered in Havelian (Abbottabad), geographically outside the boundaries of the NA-18 Haripur constituency.
The petitioner argues that because the remarks fell outside the electoral limits of the constituency, the ECP lacks the legal jurisdiction to prosecute or penalize him over the incident, setting up a crucial legal showdown on administrative bounds and regulatory oversight.
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