The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has mandated the dismissal of Shahid Khattak interim Transport Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for violating the commission’s code of conduct related to election laws. The ECP made this announcement in a statement released late on Saturday.
The directive was issued to the interim Chief Minister of KP, Azam Khan, instructing him to remove Khattak from his ministerial role and the provincial cabinet. This decision was prompted by media reports that revealed Khattak’s participation in a political rally in Nowshera. Following these reports, the provincial election commissioner of KP sought a detailed account of Khattak’s involvement and speech at the public gathering.
The ECP spokesperson emphasized the necessity for all incumbent governments to abide by the law and fully cooperate with the commission to ensure fair, transparent, and unbiased elections. The spokesperson further clarified that the commission does not permit any incumbent government or minister to participate in electoral campaigns. Any breach of this rule will lead to legal consequences.
The interim government, which included Shahid Khattak among its 14 ministers, assumed power in January of this year. This occurred when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prematurely dissolved the provincial assembly to exert pressure on the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to call for early elections in the country.
