The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday reserved its verdict in contempt proceedings against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders.
PTI leaders including Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar are facing contempt proceedings for allegedly speaking against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. On Tuesday’s hearing, Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry did not show up after which the ECP reserved its verdict. ECP’s member from KP said the Islamabad High Court has only suspended the orders of ECP, where are Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, he asked.
The junior lawyer of the PTI said in the absence of the senior counsel his clients cannot appear. The ECP while reserving its verdict in the contempt proceedings gave a last chance to PTI chairman Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry to appear before the electoral body. The hearing was later adjourned until January 24.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan to go ahead with the contempt proceedings against Khan and other PTI leaders. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Athar Minallah heard the ECP’s petition seeking transfer and consolidation of cases filed by the PTI with different high courts challenging its contempt notices.
