ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e—Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has urged the electoral body to restore its image by returning 41 National Assembly seats to the PTI. He also urged the poll entity to dispose of contempt cases against him as well as former prime minister Imran Khan.

Fawad, along with his brother and counsel Faisal Chaudhry, appeared before the four-member bench of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) hearing the contempt cases against him as well as Khan on Wednesday.

Faisal informed the bench that Khan’s counsel in the contempt case Shoaib Shaheen was busy in Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the related cases, and, was, therefore, unable to appear before the bench.

He urged the bench to end the cases against his brother and Khan.

“Both cases are identical,” he said.

Addressing the bench, Fawad said that he had apologised to the ECP in writing in the contempt case. “I am ready to do it again,” he said.

Nisar Durrani, one of the bench members, directed Fawad to submit written apology again.

Fawad said indicting the politicians in the contempt cases would give a bad name to the electoral body.

“Instead, you should take strong actions to restore ECP’s image—return the 41 NA seats,” he told the ECP bench, referring to those 41 Members National Assembly (MNAs) who originally belong to the PTI but contested the February 8 general polls as independents, following the denial of electoral symbol to the PTI by the ECP.

“These seats would be duly given to PTI if they belong to it,” Durrani replied.

Following Faisal, Fawad also urged the ECP bench to end the cases against him as well as Khan.

The contempt cases against Fawad and Khan were adjourned till September 4.

In August 2022, the ECP issued contempt notices to Khan, the PTI supremo, as well as Fawad and Asad Umar, the two former 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 has apparently halted 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 ECP bench issued Fawad’s bailable arrest warrants for not showing up at the hearing, and adjourned the contempt case till August 7.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024