Alleged code of conduct violation in NA-18 Haripur by-poll: ECP adjourns proceedings against KP CM indefinitely

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has adjourned the proceedings against Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi indefinitely, following a stay order issued by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in the related case.

A five-member full bench of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on Tuesday, heard the case against the CM KP over alleged code of conduct violation related to by-election on the National Assembly’s seat NA-18 Haripur that was held on November 23 last year.

During the proceedings, CM KP’s counsel Ali Bukhari informed the ECP bench that PHC issued a stay order barring the ECP from proceeding further in this case.

The ECP officials informed the bench that the PHC did not issue any written order restricting the ECP to hold proceedings of this case.

However, the CEC was of the view that the bench should wait till receiving the PHC’s formal stay order.

Any further action, he said, would be taken in accordance with the PHC order.

The ECP bench then adjourned the case indefinitely.

On November 20, last year, the ECP took notice of CM KP’s public speech in Havelian, a tehsil of district Abbottabad, delivered a day earlier on November 19.

The poll entity accused CM Afridi of threatening the district administration, police, and electoral officials assigned to hold the NA-18 by-election in the said speech.

The electoral body then fixed this case for regular hearing.

Separately, the proceedings of a reference against Sohail Sultan, a lawmaker linked to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also stand halted indefinitely, following the order of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) to the ECP to not proceed further on the matter.

The reference, moved by one Nasrullah Khan, seeks disqualification of PTI-linked Member National Assembly (MNA) Sohail Sultan.

Sultan is accused of violating Article 63(1)(K) of the Constitution that bars public office-holders from being elected or chosen to the Parliament for two years after their retirement or resignation from the service.

Sultan was elected to NA-4 Swat in the 2024 general election, in alleged violation of the aforesaid article, when he was reportedly the advocate general of KP.

The reference against him is sent to the ECP by Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq under Article 63(2).

This law provides that if any question of disqualification of a parliamentarian arises, the speaker NA is empowered to refer the matter to the ECP within 30 days.

A three-member ECP bench, headed by the CEC, is hearing the reference.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026