ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday, rejecting the exemption pleas, issued bailable arrest warrants of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders in a case related to the contempt of electoral watchdog, ordering to arrest them by Jan 17.
It is pertinent to mention here that on January 3, the ECP had adjourned the proceedings of this case until January 17, and the bench hearing the case had asked the PTI counsel to submit Imran Khan’s medical certificate and also submit an answer to show cause notice.
Also read: LHC bars ECP from removing Imran Khan as PTI chairman
At the same time, the top election body has asked the Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry to submit their reply to the show-cause notices by Jan 17.
Reacting on the ECP verdict, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and termed it as yet another biased decision. He said the ECP verdict was itself a contempt of High Court, and vowed to approach the Court to sue the ECP.
الیکشن کمیشن کا قابل ضمانت وارنٹ جاری کرنے کا فیصلہ ہائیکورٹ کے فیصلے کی توہین ہے، کیس کی تاریخ 17 جنوری گھی جس کو رولز کے خلاف آج مقرر کرکے فیصلہ دیا گیا یہ الیکشن کمیشن کے ان بونے ممبران کا ایک اور جانبدار فیصلہ ہے، اس فیصلے کے خلاف ہائیکورٹ میں توھین عدالت کا مقدمہ کریں گے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 10, 2023
The ECP verdict came exactly a week after the Supreme Court of Pakistan allowed it to continue its proceedings against PTI Chairman Imran Khan, and his party leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry in contempt case filed against them over controversial remarks against the electoral body.
Also read: SC again allows ECP to continue contempt proceedings against Imran
The decision was announced by a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Ayesha A Malik but it has restrained the ECP from issuing a final order.
It may be recalled that last year, the ECP initiated contempt proceedings against the PTI leaders for allegedly using foul language against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and ECP. It has served several notices on them, asking them to appear in person and explain their point of view.
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However, the PTI leaders did not appear before the ECP and later challenged its powers to initiate contempt proceedings under Section 10 of the Election Act 2017 in different high courts. The Section 10 of the election act states that the “election commission may exercise the same power as the high court to punish any person for contempt of court and the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003 (V of 2003), or any other law pertaining to contempt of court shall have effect accordingly[…]”
