ECP issues non-bailable arrest warrants against Imran, Fawad in contempt case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan and ex-information minister Fawad Chaudhry in the contempt of the commission and chief election commissioner cases.

Member Sindh of the commission, Nisar Ahmad Durrani, headed the four-member bench that passed the order for the alleged use of intemperate, un-parliamentary language and contemptuous remarks against the Election Commission of Pakistan and the chief election commissioner during media talks and interviews.

The commission had issued notices to Imran, then secretary general of PTI Asad Umar and former senior vice-president of the party Fawad in August last year, asking them to appear in person or through their counsel before the commission to respond to the notices. But instead of compliance, they challenged them as well as the contempt proceedings, contending the electoral body was not a high court. During the course of Tuesday’s hearing, neither the PTI chairman nor Fawad and Asad Umar appeared before the commission despite being summoned. This irked the four-member ECP bench, led by the commission’s Sindh member Nisar Durrani.

The bench announced issuing non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran and Fawad and now only charges were to be framed against them. The hearing was adjourned till July 25.