Interior ministry fears 'security risk' in presenting Imran Khan before ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior and the Islamabad police have expressed fear about a "security threat" in presenting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan before the Election Commission of Pakistan, sources privy to the matter said on Monday.

The country's top polls governing body had last week issued production orders of the incarcerated former prime minister in the ECP contempt cases for October 24 (tomorrow), with a charge sheet set to be filed against him when presented.

The police and relevant authorities were ordered to make necessary arrangements in this regard.

However, the sources told Geo News that just a day before the ordered production, the ministry and the capital police informed the commission about the "security risk" in moving the PTI chief, who is imprisoned in the Adiala Jail in the cipher case.

A four-member bench, headed by ECP Member Sindh Nisar Ahmad Durrani, released two separate but almost identical orders for Imran and Fawad Chaudhary, a former member of the PTI.

Both are set to be indicted on October 24. However, in the case of Fawad, the commission also issued bailable warrants of arrest and directed the relevant IGP to serve them.

At the hearing on October 11, Shoaib Shaheen, who had appeared before a four-member bench of the commission headed by Nisar Durrani, contended that the PTI chairman was in jail, making it impossible for him to attend the proceedings. He had urged for a production order for the PTI chief.

According to the ECP's order, it was a matter of record that, the matter was pending adjudication since August, and has to be decided without any further delay.

"Since the respondent is in Adiala Jail […] and his personal appearance is mandatory to proceed further with the matter. In such view of the matter, there is no alternate except to issue production order of respondent namely Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi," the order read.

The commission said the production order is being issued under Section 10 of Elections Act 2017 read with rule 4 of Elections Rules 2017 and further read with the relevant provision of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003 and under this production order, the respondent shall be produced only before ECP on October 24 at 10 am and after the culmination of proceedings, the respondent shall be returned to jail forthwith.

Through the order, the commission’s bench directed the office to convey the directions to the superintendent, Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, to make all necessary arrangements for the production of the respondent before ECP. The IGP, Islamabad, and IGP, Punjab, were asked to ensure foolproof security arrangements for the production of Imran.