ECP to indict Imran, Fawad for contempt today

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has released the cause list for hearing a contempt case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry.

According to the cause list, the contempt case against the two will be heard in Adiala Jail on Wednesday. It has been mentioned in the cause list that the hearing of the case against Fawad Chaudhry will also be held in Adiala Jail.

The bench will hold the proceedings again in the jail, as both are incarcerated in Adiala Jail. Fawad is also expected to submit his reply to another contempt notice issued by the commission for his contemptuous media talk on January 24 this year against the electoral body.

The Election Commission will also issue its order at the ECP Secretariat regarding the petition filed by SC advocate Syed Azizud Din Kakakhel, seeking removal of three members of the cabinet of the caretaker prime minister. One of them is Ahad Cheema, who has already been removed as his adviser on the Establishment Division.

Meanwhile, the Secretary Establishment Tuesday requested the Election Commission of Pakistan to reconsider its decision to remove IG Akbar Nasir Khan and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon from their posts.

A four-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, had sought a compliance report of its order regarding their removal.

The secretary told the ECP that the Interior Ministry had released a report on terrorist incidents on behalf of the Intelligence Bureau, adding there was also a report on law and order issue in Islamabad.

He explained that Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar had given permission for the transfer of IG and DC Islamabad. However, the Ministry of Interior maintained that these two officers should be retained, requesting the ECP to review its decision.

“The prime minister has seen and is pleased to desire that with regard to replacement of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and Inspector General of Police Islamabad, Establishment Division shall propose a panel of officers for his perusal and orders,” reads the communique sent by the caretaker prime minister’s secretary to the Establishment Secretary on December 25.

On the request of the Secretary Establishment, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said the commission will see the report of the Ministry of Interior. He asked the secretary to look for the panel of names for both the posts by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission Tuesday strongly denied the news reports that the decision to accept or reject nomination papers will be subject to receiving reports from NAB, FBR and other related agencies.

The Election Commission, in a statement, denied the news attributed to the spokesman of the Provincial Election Commission of Punjab on some TV channels, according to which the Election Commission had taken an important decision to accept or reject the nomination papers of the candidates after receiving reports of NAB, FBR and other concerned agencies. “The news is fabricated and the commission has not issued any such decision. On the demand of the media to provide the data of approved or rejected nomination papers on a daily basis, it was learnt from the office of the Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab that the process of scrutiny of nomination papers will continue till December 30. After this, the list of candidates with approved nomination papers will be displayed,” said the ECP statement.