The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a notification regarding the provision of level playing field to all political parties.
The letter, addressed to the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) and chief secretary, comes in response to a letter written by the party to the ECP seeking a level playing field.
The ECP directed the authorities to provide a level playing field for all candidates and political parties. It says that no candidate of any political party, including the PTI, should be deprived of contesting the elections.
The ECP has also directed the relevant authorities to address the complaints of the PTI according to the law. “It should be ensured that the PTI candidates appear in front of the returning officers independently,” the letter says.
The appearance of proposers and seconders of the PTI candidates should also be ensured, it says further.
Meanwhile, in another application to the ECP, the PTI has sought the replacement of the Punjab police chief and the chief secretary. The party has alleged that both officials are harassing PTI leaders and workers.
The party has also requested an order to stop the arrests of party candidates’ proposers and seconders. It has also sought to ensure that the proposers and seconders are part of the scrutiny process of nomination papers.
On the other hand, in response to an application of former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry's brother, the Election Commission of Pakistan has written another letter to the Punjab chief secretary and IGP.
The letter says that the security of candidates and their proposers should be ensured during the process of scrutinising nomination papers. No political leader or party should be deprived of their fundamental rights, the election commission has instructed.
