ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued bailable arrest warrant of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan over his non-appearance in Contempt of Court Case.
The arrest warrant was issued by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza headed ECP’s five-member bench while announcing its verdict in Contempt of Court Case against Imran Khan in Islamabad.
In its order, the ECP also asked Imran Khan to submit surety bonds worth Rs one lakh by September 25.
Earlier, the bench heard the Contempt of Court Case proceedings during which Imran Khan didn’t appear before the ECP despite being ordered by the Commission to appear; rather his Counsel Babar Awan appeared before the Election Commission on his behalf.
Babar Awan told the ECP that Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) larger bench will hear the Case, related to ECP’s jurisdiction to hear contempt proceedings.
The member ECP Irshad Qaiser remarked that the Election Commission had ordered Imran Khan to make his personal appearance before it.
The petition’s lawyer said that Imran Khan should have appeared before the ECP after its order. He said that the ECP’s order was defied.
The petition’s lawyer said that the PTI Chief must pay respect to institutions himself if he denounces others over non-compliance. He asked the ECP to initiate the proceedings against Imran Khan as per law.
Babar Awan told the ECP that Imran Khan respects the Election Commission, and he will appear before it whenever summoned. Babar Awan told that Imran Khan was abroad, and he just reached Pakistan an hour ago.
When asked by the CEC that whether IHC will hear the Case today, Babar Awan told that if the Chief Justice forms the larger bench today, it will begin proceedings.
Later, the ECP reserved its decision on Contempt of Court Petition, filed by a defiant PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar, against Imran Khan.
