NA 18 code of conduct violation: ECP to hear case against KP CM, PTI candidate today

ISLAMABAD: The electoral body is scheduled to hear Tuesday (Jan 13) the case against Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi, and Shehar Naz Omar Ayub Khan, who was the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate for by-election on the National Assembly’s seat NA-18 Haripur, over code of conduct violation in the said by-election.

A five-member full bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, is hearing this case.

Shehar Naz Omar Ayub is the wife of former NA opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan and NA-18 candidate for the by-election held on 23 November, last year.

The NA-18 seat had fallen vacant following Omar’s disqualification at the hands of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in a case registered in connection with the 9 May riots.During the last hearing of this case on 24 December, defence lawyer Ali Bukhari submitted the written reply on behalf of the respondent side, challenging the maintainability of this case.

The ECP bench was of the view that the application challenging the maintainability of the case was not signed by the CM KP.

The bench directed the defence counsel to resubmit the signed application, as well as CM KP’s power of attorney in the next hearing on Tuesday (Jan 13).

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

The poll entity accused CM Afridi of threatening the district administration, police, and electoral officials assigned to hold the NA-18 by-election, which was held on 23 November, in the said speech. The electoral body then summoned the CM KP and the NA-18, fixing this case for regular hearing.

During the hearing of this case on 25 November, the ECP bench granted the CM KP exemption from physical appearance for the remaining hearings.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026