Minister of Labor and Manpower Sindh Saeed Ghani reached District Monitoring Office South, Election Commission on Tuesday to respond to the notice issued against him. District Malir President Salman Murad was also present with him on this occasion. Provincial Minister SaeedGhani was issued a notice by the Election Commission for his participation in the “Karachi Hum Sab Ka” rally which was taken out from Bilawal House to Star Gate on January 8. In the notice, the Election Commission had said that the rally is tantamount to violation of the Election Code of Conduct.
SaeedGhani appeared before the concerned Monitoring Officer, and provided documentary evidence to the Election Commission, according to which the said rally was not an election rally but a political rally of the party. SaeedGhani said that no minister can run an election campaign under the Election Code of Conduct, but there is no restriction on the political activity of the party.The minister in his statement said that a written request was made to the regular commissioner Karachi, deputy commissioners of all districts for the rally and the request clearly stated that it would be a political activity.
Saeed Ghani further said that the permits issued by all concerned commissioners and deputy commissioners are also proof that this rally was not for local elections.According to SaeedGhani, during the entire rally, there was not a single banner that could give the impression that this rally was taken out with reference to any candidate or local body elections.
SaeedGhani clarified his position in front of the District Monitoring Officer and told him that the violation of the code of conduct that has been charged against me in the notice of the Election Commission is not related to the said rally. He said that in the code of conduct of local elections of the Election Commission, a minister is prohibited from running an election campaign, however, there is no restriction on the minister regarding any political activity in this code of conduct.
