ISLAMABAD: The electoral organisation is scheduled to hear the contempt cases against former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, lingering for the last two years, next week.
Four separate cases have been fixed for hearing against the two politicians for “recording of evidence,” over the alleged contempt of the poll body and the chief election commissioner, reveals a cause list issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In August 2022, the ECP issued contempt notices to Khan, the PTI supremo, and Chaudhry and Asad Umar, the two former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, for their public criticism of the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The cases are since pending.
Umar has urged the electoral body to drop contempt proceedings against him, taking the stance that he has quit politics. Although, the case against Umar is not officially disposed of, the commission apparently put to a halt the contempt proceedings against him.
In the last hearing of the contempt case this July 11, the ECP considered the option of allowing virtual appearance to Khan through video link but did not take any decision in this regard.
In the same hearing, the four-member ECP bench issued Chaudhry’s bailable arrest warrant for not showing up at the hearing, and adjourned the case till August 7.
This January, the poll entity indicted Khan and Fawad in the contempt case after the ECP bench members visited Adiala Jail Rawalpindi to separately indict the two politicians—an unprecedented move that attracted massive public backlash.
Before that, the bench members visited Adiala Jail last December for holding contempt trial against the former PM and the ex-minister.
Chaudhry was released from the jail later.
The poll body decided to hold contempt trial in jail, instead of ECP headquarters, after the then caretaker federal government declined to accept the electoral entity’s order to bring Khan to the ECP in the contempt case, citing security reasons.
This attracted public criticism on the electoral body and the then caretaker government for their failure in ensuring foolproof security to the former PM for his trial at the ECP headquarters instead of jail.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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