High court puts off case against ECP notices to ex-governor, CM.

PESHAWAR -- The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing into three petitions against the notices issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan to the PTI leaders, including former governor Shah Farman, former chief minister Mahmood Khan and former ministers Anwer Zeb and Muhibullah, for 'violating' the revised code of conduct for local body elections last year.

The adjournment came from a bench consisting of Justice Abdul Shakoor Khan and Justice Syed Arshad Ali at the request of the counsel for the ECP.

Lawyer Mohsin Kamran Siddique said he required time to prepare case files as the recent arson attacks on the ECP's regional office here destroyed records.

One petition was jointly filed by the then chief minister, Mahmood Khan, and the then provincial minister, Anwer Zeb, while the others were separately filed by the then provincial governor, Shah Farman, and the then provincial minister, Muhibullah.

Farman, Mahmood, two ex-ministers accused of violating poll code last year

All four petitioners challenged the revised code of conduct issued by the ECP on March 10, 2022, barring public officeholders from campaigning in the second phase of local body elections in 18 districts of the province last year.

They also objected to the notices issued to them by the respective district monitoring officer (DMO) as well as the Rs50,000 fine imposed on them.

The DMO had issued notices to three petitioners, including Shah Farman, Mahmood Khan and Anwer Zeb, along with the then prime minister and PTI chairman, Imran Khan, on March 11, 2022, for attending a public meeting in Lower Dir district in violation of the election code. He also fined them Rs50,000 each.

Similarly, the DMO in Swat district put Muhibullah on notice on March 16, 2022, for attending a public meeting. The then minister was later fined Rs50,000.

Last year the high court had issued stay orders in favour of the petitioners and directed...