• A three-member ECP bench under its commissioner heard the case on the basis of response filed by the Punjab chief minister.
• The chief election commissioner said that why there was a need for press conference if the program was allocated under a budget.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Comission of Pakistan on Thursday Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz’s Roshan Gharana programme till July 17 in a bid to avoid undue influence or advantage of his party in the coming by-elections on as many as 20 seats.

A three-member ECP bench under its commissioner heard the case on the basis of response filed by the Punjab chief minister. Hamza’s counsel argued that the recent government announcement of providing free electricity for users using less than 100 units is not to influence voters as it is not for one particular constituency but in fact for entire province.

The chief election commissioner said that why there was a need for press conference if the program was allocated under a budget. The ECP suspended the programme and said that it can be resumed after the bye-election.

Read more: CM Punjab announces free electricity for households with up to 100 units consumption

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Hamza Shehbaz Sharif announced that the Punjab government will provide free electricity to domestic users consuming up to 100 units of power in  a press conference.

He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government forced the scourge of power cuts on the nation and underscored that the government’s focus is not to save politics but the country.

The leader said that the PML-N-led government left the country in 2018 with zero load-shedding adding that Pakistan needs to be put back on track immediately.