ISLAMABAD, Aug 09 (INP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday accepted the apologies of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervaiz Khattak and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman for using indecent language during their election campaigns. The ECP has also directed to issue the success notification of PTI chief Imran Khan, Pervaiz Khattak and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq after accepting their apologies for violating electoral code of conduct. A four-member commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza conducted hearing of the case and announced the reserved verdict. [timed-content-server show="08/10/2018 01:00 Asia/Karachi"]ECP accepted the apology of Khan in offensive language case but termed the reply in violating secrecy of ballot code as inadmissible due to absence of his signature. The commission directed the PTI chief to submit a new reply along with affidavit on Friday. Khan, Sadiq and Khattak did not attend the hearing and were instead represented by their lawyers. ECP warned the political leaders to remain cautious in future. Earlier, Imran Khan’s lawyer Babar Awan appeared before ECP and told that he is representing Khan in offensive language and secrecy of ballot code violation cases. “A single reply seeking apology has been submitted in both the cases. Imran Khan did not violate the electoral code of conduct intentionally,” said Awan. “How a single reply can be submitted in two cases? The response is not acceptable in secrecy of ballot code violation case. Submit a written explanation for it,” remarked the CEC. Following the orders, Awan submitted a separate written reply saying that Khan did not made his vote public on purpose as the voting screen fell due to the huge crowd. It went on to say that Imran Khan did not willingly showed his vote in the camera. The reply requested ECP to issue the success notification of Imran Khan for NA-53 constituency of Islamabad. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa member of ECP objected that the reply does not bear the signatures of Khan. "I have the affidavit and Imran Khan has sought an apology. According to law, one cannot take the photograph of the vote. The media cameras took the picture and not Khan," argued Awan. Lawyer Kamran Murtaza, who was representing Ayaz Sadiq, submitted an apology on behalf of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader. The bench also played a clip of the former National Assembly speaker using derogatory language against the ECP, after which his lawyer issued an apology once again. Giving remarks, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) said that today, Ayaz Sadiq has got to know what he actually is. Sadiq had bashed Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), saying that the commission has been given authorities more than it deserves. He also used offensive language against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan and his voters. Meanwhile,Pervaiz Khattak appeared before the ECP himself and apologised. Maulana Fazlur Rehman's lawyer also appeared before the four-member bench and tendered apologies on behalf of his client. Last month, the ECP had issued notices to the four politicians for using indecent language during their election campaigns. The ECP had said notices were taken on the basis of media reports suggesting the use of foul language by the leaders. INP/LK[/timed-content-server]