ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday suspended the bailable arrest warrants issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for Imran Khan following his failure to show up for contempt of court proceedings before the commission.
The order to suspend the warrants was taken by a larger bench of the IHC following a request submitted by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf challenging the ECP’s decision.
Hearing the case, Justice Aamer Farooq, who headed a three-member larger bench, directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief to submit reply to the ECP’s show-cause notice.
During the hearing, PTI chairman’s counsel Babar Awan said it seems that only one party was on trial in the ECP. He assured the court that the PTI chairman would reply to the ECP’s show-cause notice with regards to contempt proceedings against him.
The IHC then adjourned the hearing for September 26.
Last month, the ECP had issued a second show-cause notice to Imran Khan after he failed to reply to an earlier notice regarding the contempt of court proceedings against him.
More recently, the ECP had ordered Islamabad Capital Police to arrest PTI chairman Imran Khan and present him before the commission for a hearing on September 25. The warrant was bailable against surety bonds worth Rs 0.1 million. The commission has been hearing a contempt of court case against Imran Khan filed by PTI dissident Akbar S Babar.
Published in Daily Times, September 21st 2017.
