ECP concerned over media reports about threat to candidates

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it was worried about the media reports stating harassment and physical threats to candidates at various places.

The electoral body blamed the authorities concerned for their failure to prevent such incidents.

In a letter sent to caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Dr. Hasan Askari Rizvi, ECP secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad refers to recent incidents in Multan and Narowal and urged him to take immediate corrective measures to stop such happenings.

"It appears, unfortunately, that the concerned authorities have yet to take the bull by the horns," the Dawn quoted the ECP secretary as saying.

Copies of the letter were also forwarded to caretaker prime minister retired Justice Nasirul Mulk and the interim chief ministers of the three other provinces.

Just a day ago, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Rana Iqbal levelled serious allegations against some officials, claiming that he was harassed and tortured. He said he was forced to withdraw from the election race.

PML-N's supreme leader Nawaz Sharif had condemned the harassment and torture of party candidate and questioned the fairness of the election process in a statement issued from London.

Later, through a short video message, the PML-N candidate stated that the whole incident was the "result of some misunderstanding, which has now been removed".