The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued bailable arrest warrants against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other party members Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar in cases related to the contempt of the electoral body, Dawn reported.
In the hearing on Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected the pleas of PTI leaders seeking an exemption from appearing before the commission and issued arrest warrants for them against surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each, as per the news report. The four-member ECP bench headed by member Nisar Durrani passed the order and adjourned the hearing till January 17.
After the ECP's decision, PTI leader Asad Umar tweeted, "The Election Commission has issued arrest warrants for Imran Khan, Mere, and Fawad Chaudhry. They are engaged in these tasks instead of conducting their own election. They themselves are guilty of contempt of court by not holding Islamabad elections."
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry called ECP's decision to issue a bailable warrant against them an "insult" to the High Court's decision. He termed it another "biased" decision by members of the ECP.
He tweeted, "The Election Commission's decision to issue a bailable warrant is an insult to the High Court's decision, the date of the case is January 17, which was decided today against the rules. This is another biased decision by these dwarf members of the Election Commission. He will file a contempt of court case in the High Court."
During the previous hearing, the ECP gave the PTI leaders a last chance to appear before the commission and warned that their absence before the commission at the next hearing could result in the issuance of arrest warrants.
Last year, the ECP issued contempt notices to PTI leaders last year and ordered them to appear before the commission in person or through their counsels. However, the PTI leaders did not appear before the commission.
The PTI leaders challenged ECP's decision in various high courts on the grounds that Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017, which is the statutory provision regarding the commission's power to punish for contempt, was against the Constitution, according to Dawn.
The PTI leaders even sought declaratory relief from the charges in the high courts. On January 3, the Pakistan Supreme Court allowed ECP to continue its proceedings against Imran Khan Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry, in cases related to the contempt of the electoral body.
( With inputs from ANI )
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