Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, and senior party leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, were summon by the country’s electoral watchdog in the hearing of a contempt case. During the proceedings, PTI counsel Faisal Chaudhry informed the court that the politicians could not appear before the Election Commission due to illness.
The lawyer also said that the Supreme Court has not yet given a decision in writing on the ECP’s appeal, arguing that it would be more appropriate to wait for the apex court’s written orders on the matter.
The SC had earlier served notices to the PTI leaders on a plea of the ECP, seeking consolidation and transfer of all six challenges to its contempt notices pending before different high courts. Later, the court permitted the electoral watchdog to continue the contempt proceedings against the leaders.
ECP member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) said that the intentions of the watchdog “should not be doubted”. Addressing the lawyers for PTI leaders, he said “if the commission makes a mistake, then you will get relief from the high court.”
Meanwhile, the ECP’s member from Sindh said that “contempt was committed against the ECP as an institution, not against a specific individual”.
Upon this, Faisal Chaudhry expressed full confidence in the commission’s ability to deliver justice.
The hearing was adjourned until January 3, at which date the ECP directed Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry to appear before the commission.
