Contempt case: ECP hints at issuing production order of IK, seeks reply to notice

ISLAMABAD: The electoral entity has indicated issuing the production order of Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister Imran Khan—directing the defence side to submit reply to the show cause notice issued to him in the contempt case, first.

“First, you submit reply to the show cause notice and we will issue the production order, thereafter,” said Member ECP Nisar Durrani on Wednesday.

He was addressing Advocate Shoaib Shaheen, Khan’s counsel, in the hearing of the contempt case. The defence counsel requested the bench to issue Khan’s production order.

Apart from Durrani, the four-member ECP bench that hears this case comprises of Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and former Justice Ikramullah Khan.

The defence lawyer informed the bench that authorities concerned were not producing Khan before the relevant courts using security issues as an excuse.

In reply, Durrani said that the ECP bench would write to inspector general of police (IGP) Islamabad for providing him foolproof security in relation to his appearance before the bench in this case.

Another PTI leader Asad Umar appeared before the bench in person, requesting to adjourn this case till this month’s 24th, citing personal engagements.

Former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry’s counsel informed the ECP bench that his client was not feeling well, and also sought adjournment in the case.

The bench then adjourned the case till October 24.

On August 19, last year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued contempt notices to Khan, Umar and Chaudhry for their public criticism of the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The matter is since pending with the poll body.

Chaudhry, in July this year, apologised to the ECP in writing in the contempt case. In August, the ECP first rejected his written apology, terming it “conditional”— later, the electoral body accepted the apology after Chaudhry submitted “unconditional” apology in writing. However, case against him is still pending and not disposed of yet.

On February 14, this year, Umar first tendered written apology to the ECP but retracted it the very next day, saying the ECP was “clearly a party and not acting as an impartial constitutional body.”

In a video message released then, Umar said, “Regardless of the legal language used by lawyers in the written reply, I stand by my words about the ECP that it is clearly a party and not acting as an impartial constitutional body.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023