ISLAMABAD Oct 12 (TNS): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan over his ‘perpetual absence’ during the contempt proceedings against him.
The commission was hearing a petition filed by the PTI dissident – Akbar S. Babar – when it issued ‘non-bailable warrants’ for Khan.
Talking to media persons outside the ECP, Khan’s counsel Babar Awan termed the arrest warrants for the party chief as ‘illegal’ and ‘unconstitutional’.
“The commission has surprisingly issued a warrant in the same case where a previous one was suspended by a full-bench of Islamabad High Court [IHC],” he remarked.
The party would challenge the directives of ECP in the IHC, the PTI counsel added.
Renewing his previous stance, Awan maintained that the regulatory body lacked subject matter jurisdiction to conduct contempt proceedings.
Party spokesperson Naeem ul Haque echoed similar sentiments and expressed resentment over the regulatory body’s orders.
The ECP had issued the contempt notice to Khan on January 24 over his “scandalous remarks” about the commission.
Last month, ECP had issued a show-cause notice to Imran Khan after he failed to file a reply to its notice in connection with contempt proceedings against him.
Initially, Khan had challenged the maintainability of the contempt petition and raised objection over the ECP’s subject-matter jurisdiction to initiate contempt proceedings against him.
Imran Khan’s counsel Babar Awan sought time for submission of reply in the case. The election commission had ruled then to announce a decision if reply was not filed by August 23.
