ECP adjourns hearing of contempt case against Imran till Nov 10

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday adjourned the hearing of contempt proceedings against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan and other party leaders Asad Umer and Fawad Chaudhry, for using inappropriate language against the commission, till November 10.

A four-member bench headed by ECP member Nisar Durrani conducted the hearing on the contempt case filed against Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, while Advocate Anwar Mansoor appeared on the party’s behalf. PTI’s counsel contended that the notices were issued by the ECP’s secretary and not by the electoral watchdog itself.

“The show-cause notice is illegal until this issue is solved. The show-cause notice has the signature of the director general of law’” He said first of all the legal point should be debated.

A member of the bench denied the claim and said that it was the Commission that issued the notices and instead of the secretary, who has “just informed” about the notices. At this, the ECP s member said that they would have no other choice but to issue the charge sheet after November 10.

The PTI’s lawyer urged the ECP to issue its charge sheet after October 31 as the Lahore High Court (LHC) was hearing a similar case on the said date. Asad Umar has received threats last night and there is no security for him.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was of the opinion that it will have no other choice but to indict PTI Chairman Imran Khan, leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry if they fail to appear in the contempt case.

The ECP had on August 19 issued notices to Khan, Chaudhry and Umar for “contemptuous” remarks against the electoral watchdog. In its notices, the ECP accused the ex-premier of levelling “baseless allegations” at the ECP and its chief in his addresses on July 18, 21, 27, August 4 and 10.