Failure to appear in contempt case: Arrest warrants could be issued, IK told

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday warned that it would issue arrest warrants against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and other senior leadership facing contempt proceedings if they failed to appear before it on January 17.

A four-member ECP bench heard the contempt case against PTI chairman Imran Khan, Asad Umar, PTI secretary general, and senior PTI vice president Fawad Chaudhry for contemptuous remarks against the top electoral body. Ali Bukhari, the counsel for Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry, contended that the latter’s mother was ill and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Lahore.

He said that Faisal Chaudhry – who is the brother of Fawad Chaudhry, and is also representing his brother in the case – is in Lahore along with his brother to look after their ailing mother who is hospitalised.

He added that the PTI chairman, who is still recovering from the bullet wounds he sustained in an attack in November last year, had not yet been given the all-clear to travel.

Advocate Anwar Mansoor, the counsel for Asad Umar, said that his client had intended to attend the ECP hearing but could not make it due to some other engagements.

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He assured the ECP that they would respond to the show cause notice in the next hearing.

At one point, a member of the ECP bench said that the commission would issue arrest warrant to ensure the attendance of the PTI leaders.

However, the lawyers for the PTI leaders pleaded ECP to grant a final chance for them to appear in person.

The bench also said that the medical certificate of the PTI chairman should be submitted to the bench hearing the case if he is undergoing treatment.

The hearing was adjourned till January 17.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023