ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former prime minister Imran Khan appeared before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday in connection with contempt case against him—as the electoral body announced to indict the ex-premier in this case on August 2.

Amidst stringent security measures, Khan, along with his legal aides, showed up at the hearing of the contempt case being heard by a four-member ECP bench comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Babar Hassan Bharwana and former Justice Ikramullah Khan.

In the proceedings, Khan’s counsel Advocate Shoaib Shaheen stated that it was his first appearance before the ECP bench in connection with this case and he needed time to get the record and relevant details of this case.

The bench directed the former PM to appear in person before the commission again on August 2 for indictment.

Earlier on Monday, the ECP directed Islamabad Police to arrest the PTI chief and present him before the electoral entity on Tuesday in connection with contempt proceedings against the ex-premier.

Previously, non-bailable arrest warrant of Khan was issued in this case.

Section 10 of Elections Act 2017 provides, “Power to punish for contempt—the commission may exercise the same power as the high court to punish any person for contempt of court and the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003—or any other law pertaining to contempt of court shall have effect accordingly as if reference therein to a court and to a judge were a reference, respectively, to the commission and the commissioner or, as the case may be, a member of the commission.”

On August 19, last year, the ECP issued contempt notices to the PTI chief, another PTI leader Asad Umar and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry for their strong public criticism of the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The case is since pending.

Umar, through his counsel, sought exemption from in-person appearance before the ECP in a previous hearing of the case whereas Chaudhry has tendered unconditional apology to the commission in this case.

On October 26, last year, the ECP “quietly” amended the election rules to authorise its officers to issue contempt notices to the alleged “contemnors.”

The electoral entity, by amending the rules, also empowered itself to grant bail to persons arrested on the charges of the ECP contempt.

The ECP made these amendments in exercise of its powers under Section 239 of Elections Act 239, according to a notification issued then.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023