The legal proceedings against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi have raised significant questions regarding the jurisdiction and authority of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). According to Business Recorder, Afridi's counsel, Advocate Ali Bukhari, argued that the ECP's actions were in violation of a stay order from the Peshawar High Court, which restricts the ECP from proceeding with the case related to an alleged code of conduct violation during the by-election for NA-18 Haripur held on November 23, 2025. The Chief Election Commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja, led the five-member bench hearing the case, but the defense insisted that the hearing be adjourned due to the pending legal matter. This situation highlights the ongoing tension between provincial and federal legal authorities in Pakistan, as well as the procedural complexities involved in electoral oversight.