ISLAMABAD: In a case involving “contemptuous” remarks made against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the Pakistani Election Commission (ECP) on Tuesday issued arrest warrants that could be freed on bail for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry, after the leaders failed to show up for the case proceedings.
A four-member bench made up of ECP members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Mohammad Jatoi, Babar Hasan Bharwana, and Justice (retd) Ikram Ullah Khan issued the order.In light of the facts of the case, the ECP’s decision to issue a bailable warrant of arrest against the respondent in the amount of Rs. 50,000 (fifty thousand) with two sureties in the same amount each was the only one left to them.
It further mentioned that the bailable warrants shall be executed through the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad; directing the office to take follow-up action forthwith and list the matter on March 14.In its orders issued separately for Khan and Fawad, the ECP said that the respondents were directed to appear in person several times but they failed to do so. The election organising authority added that the PTI chief deliberately sought adjournments on one or other pretext and was also reluctant to appear before the bench which “amounts to a mockery of the law”.“Such conduct of respondent could not be tolerable, as his non-appearance before this Commission seems to be intentional,” the order read.Last week, the bench adjourned within a couple of minutes after the former prime minister and two other accused failed to show up at the commission in the case related to the contempt of ECP and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.Last year, the top electoral body initiated contempt proceedings against the PTI leaders for allegedly using foul language against the chief election commissioner. It has served several notices on them, asking them to appear in person and explain their point of view.However, the PTI leaders did not appear before the ECP and later challenged its powers to initiate contempt proceedings under Section 10 of the Election Act 2017 in different high courts. Section 10 of the election act states that the “election commission may exercise the same power as the high court to punish any person for contempt of court and the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003 (V of 2003), or any other law pertaining to contempt of court shall have effect accordingly.
