ISLAMABAD : – The Pakistan Election Commission (ECP) issued bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday.
In the ECP contempt case, arrest warrants were issued for the ousted premier. After being summoned repeatedly, Mr Khan did not appear before the ECP, according to the ECP.
The ECP denied a petition against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Imran Khan’s probable ouster as party head on Tuesday. The petition was considered by a three-member panel led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.
Mr Khan’s counsel, Barrister Gohar, contended that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had prevented the commission from giving a judgement in the matter, to which the chief election commissioner responded that the LHC had barred the commission from providing a verdict but not from ending the hearing. Mr Gohar contended that he was not asking him to do so.
Afaq Ahmad said that the ECP had issued bogus notifications to him, and that notices sent to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar were also forwarded to him. The notifications did not reach me on time owing to the deputy director of the Legal department’s incompetence,” he continued.
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The CEC chastised him, telling him not to point fingers, to lower his voice, and to speak about the relevant matter. Mr Ahmad disputed about who was responsible for issuing a notice after the matter had been heard. The CEC clarified what he meant by it, arguing that he would not say what Mr Raja wanted to hear.
After this, the CEC ordered police to remove Mr Ahmad from the courtroom. The ECP later rejected the petition.
In his response, PTI chairman Imran Khan argued that since the LHC had banned the ECP from giving a judgement in the matter, the ECP should delay the hearing till the LHC gave a ruling. “The Supreme Court issued a declaration of disqualification in the case of Nawaz Sharif, but no forum did so in the case of Imran Khan,” he said. He said that a party leader could only be dismissed if the declaration was made.