Imran’s non-appearance in contempt case hearing: ECP seeks report on internet availability in Adiala jail

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday sought a report from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on the internet service in Adiala jail, as the PTI founder Imran Khan could not appear through the video link in a contempt case hearing.

Since August 2022, Imran faces two cases of similar nature for alleged contempt of the Election Commission and chief election commissioner during his interviews and media talks.

PTI’s lawyers, including Shoaib Shaheen and Faisal Chaudhry, and jail authorities, were present before the bench. The ECP counsel wanted to know from prison officials about the unavailability of video link for appearance of the incarcerated alleged contemnor, to which they replied that the internet service in the jail had been disrupted.

Shoaib Shaheen requested that the Election Commission may allow a meeting between the PTI chief and his legal team, but the commission declined and explained that it was beyond their mandate. Faisal Chaudhry, another senior counsel, expressed concerns for Imran’s wellbeing and suggested that the ECP visit the jail, as the internet issue might not be resolved any time soon.

The ECP bench assured them that the matter would be addressed, adjourning the hearing until November 5 after asking the PTA to submit a report on the internet situation in the jail.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission instructed the related petitioners to share copies of their applications concerning the intra-party elections with the PTI and adjourned the case hearing till November 14. A four-member bench, headed by the ECP Member Sindh Nisar Ahmad Durrani, conducted the hearing of the intra-party election.

Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Akbar S Babar, the main petitioner against the intra-party polls, appeared before the commission.

Gohar pointed out that the High Court had restrained the Election Commission from issuing the final order in the case. ECP member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa indicated that they did not have the authority to order the PTI to hold intra-party elections again. The commission subsequently directed the other petitioners to share the copies of their applications with the PTI.

Barrister Gohar said the political committee had decided to boycott the parliamentary committee because they considered all the processes of constitutional amendments illegal.

Later, speaking to the media outside the Election Commission Secretariat here, Gohar said the PTI conducted good intra-party elections compared to all political parties and that the party elections were recognized. He said the intra-party case was heard in the Election Commission and that they had answered the jurisdictional and legal questions of the Election Commission while the Lahore High Court had stopped the Election Commission from passing the final order.

Gohar pointed out that a petition was filed with the High Court saying that this was not the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. “I hope, this problem will end now. We have fulfilled whatever the Election Commission asked us; we have submitted answers to the ECP’s legal questions. We have given all the documents requested by the Election Commission in the decision of the Supreme Court,” he noted.

Separately, the Election Commission directed the Punjab chief secretary to ensure the enactment of related legislation within six weeks, paving the way for the local government elections immediately after that. The direction from the electoral body came during the hearing held in the Election Commission here regarding the conduct of local government elections in Islamabad and Punjab. Chief secretary Punjab, Special Secretary Local Government Punjab, Secretary Ministry of Interior and chief commissioner appeared during the hearing.

The chief secretary briefed the commission that the Punjab government had completed 99% of the work on the Draft Local Government Act. However, it needed at least six weeks to improve the draft legislation. He also submitted the initial draft of the law to the Election Commission.

The commission directed the chief secretary to ensure legislation within six weeks to hold the local bodies elections in the province immediately.

Likewise, the interior secretary told the forum that according to the orders of the last meeting of the commission, the committee which consisted of secretary interior and law, chief commissioner and secretary Election Commission, during its two meetings on the Islamabad Local Government Act 2015, had drafted the required amendments. He added that these would be sent to the relevant forum for legislation after the permission of the Election Commission. Thereafter, necessary amendments will be made in the rules and forms.

The Election Commission directed the secretary interior to complete the legislative process immediately so that the Election Commission could ensure immediate holding of the election.