ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is all set to resume contempt proceedings against Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) former Prime Minister Imran Khan after the Supreme Court’s decision that the electoral body was free to move ahead with its proceedings against former Prime Minister and his party’s senior leaders.
Imran Khan and two members of the PTI Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar were served with notices in August and September last year for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the ECP. The commission had asked them to appear in person or through their lawyers before the commission and explain their position.
However, instead of replying to the ECP or appearing before it, the PTI leaders challenged those notices and contempt proceedings in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Sindh High Court (SHC) on the grounds that the commission did not have the power to punish for contempt.
The high courts of Lahore and Sindh restrained the ECP from the contempt proceedings. However, the ECP challenged the high courts’ order in the Supreme Court.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Ayesha A Malik has allowed the electoral body to continue with its contempt proceedings against the PTI leaders.
“We hold that the petitioner ECP may continue its proceedings in accordance with law including, by decisions on the objections raised on behalf of the respondents,” the SCP order says.
Imran challenges ECP notice for removing him from PTI headship
Meanwhile, Imran Khan has challenged the ECP notice seeking to remove him as the party’s chairman.
The electoral body had initiated the process to remove Khan as chairman of PTI last month, following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference, by issuing a notice.
In his petition filed in the LHC on Wednesday, Imran Khan has maintained that the process for his removal as the party chair was initiated after his disqualification from the National Assembly’s seat NA-95.
Imran Khan has held in his petition that the notice has been served to keep him away from politics.
The former premier requested the court to set aside the ECP’s notice and declare it “illegal, ultra vires the powers of ECP, contrary to the Constitution, and of no legal effect.”
He has also sought suspension of the notice and restraining orders for the ECP to stop it from proceeding in the matter till the final disposal of this plea.
The ECP had in October, disqualified Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference for making “false statements and an incorrect declaration.”
