ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry are the leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued arrest warrants for them on Tuesday that are subject to bail.
A four-member ECP bench hearing the case, led by member Nisar Durrani, issued the warrants.
The ECP had issued a contempt notice to the PTI leaders in August of last year for making derogatory remarks about the commission and its head during numerous public meetings, press conferences, and interviews.
The warning alleged that on numerous occasions, they insulted the electoral body and made remarks that were disrespectful, impolite, and out of line.
The PTI leaders were ordered today to appear before the bench on January 17 for the next hearing after the panel rejected their requests for exemption.
On January 3, the commission had reserved its decision regarding their pleas.
Fawad to challenge warrants
Fawad Chaudhry, the head of the PTI, declared shortly after the decision that he will appeal the warrants to the high court and accuse ECP of contempt.
He declared that “ECP’s action to issue arrest warrants is a disrespect of the order of the high court.” According to him, the case was supposed to be heard on January 17 but the verdict was released today in breach of the norms.
The PTI leader claimed that the ECP made a “biassed” choice.
The Supreme Court had earlier this month permitted the electoral board to move through with contempt charges against Imran Khan, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry.
The PTI secretary general was supposed to attend the court, but according to Asad Umar’s attorney Anwar Mansoor, he was unable to travel to the federal capital. “We have applied against the show cause notice, and all three cases are identical in character,” he argued. The hearing will take place concurrently, and on the following date, I will be required to respond to a show-cause request.
The ECP DG had stated that he had indicated in the show cause notice that it had been issued by the Election Commission at the time.
As per ECP bench, warrants were being issued for the parties’ appearance. In response, attorney Ali Bukhari stated that their application would not be heard if a warrant was obtained.
Anwar Mansoor, a senior attorney, urged that ECP should make it the last appearance rather than the warrant.
According to Ali Bukhari, a warrant ought to be issued if they fail to show up at the subsequent appearance. The hearing for the matter was postponed to January 17 after the ECP member declared, “We will order on this.”