The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Saturday issued 1-page written order suspending arrest warrant of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan issued by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in contempt of court proceedings. A larger bench, headed by Justice Aamir Farooq, comprising Justice Miangul Hussan Aurangzeb and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani suspended the orders, while hearing of the case moved by PTI chief challenging powers of the ECP to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him.
However Imran Khan would submit reply to ECP in contempt of court proceedings against him on September 25, court ordered. The bench also directed the office to re-list the case for further hearing on September 26. Imran Khan had challenged August 24 show cause notice and arrest warrants to him issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under Section 103-A of the Representation of People Act 1976 and under Article 204 of the Constitution for committing contempt of court by not submitting record in connection with foreign funding to the party, despite orders.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had declared that it was within its jurisdiction to initiate contempt of court proceedings and issued a formal show cause notice to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, asking him to submit a reply by August 23.
In its short order, a full bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commission (CEC) retired Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza rejected Imran Khan's objections to the commission's jurisdiction to initiate contempt of court proceedings and ruled that it had the legal right to hear the contempt case. PTI founding member Akbar S Babar had filed the contempt application against Imran for accusing the ECP of bias and using slanderous language against it after the commission had demanded that PTI submit its financial documents.
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