ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sent the non-bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan to SSP operations.
The warrant directs SSP Operations Islamabad to arrest Imran Khan and produce him before the commission on October 26 at 10 AM. The warrant which lists Khan’s Bani Gala and the PTI’s Central Office addresses states that the PTI chairman is charged with contempt of Election Commission of Pakistan under section 103-A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976.
It adds that Khan had failed to appear before the Commission on various hearings, therefore, the Election Commission has ordered the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
ECP on October 12, issued Imran Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrant in relation to the contempt of court case against him. The PTI had announced that it would challenge the decision in the Islamabad High Court.
This is not the first time the ECP has issued warrants for the PTI chairman. On September 14, the ECP had issued bailable warrants against Imran to ensure his presence in the case.
The ECP had ordered Imran to submit a surety bond of Rs100,000 until September 25 and nominate two persons who would ensure payment of the amount and be held responsible otherwise.
Imran was also ordered to appear on that day in the commission in person.
However, the PTI approached the IHC which, on September 20, suspended the bailable arrest warrants. Hearing the case, Justice Aamer Farooq, who headed a three-member larger bench, directed the PTI chief to reply to the ECP's show-cause notice.
Babar Awan assured the court that the PTI chairman would reply to the ECP's show-cause notice with regards to contempt proceedings against him.
The ECP had issued the contempt notice to Khan on January 24 over his “scandalous remarks” about the commission.
Babar, the petitioner who had filed the foreign funding case against the PTI leadership, had informed the ECP that the PTI chief had accused it of being biased in the foreign funding case following which his counsel tendered an apology with the commission.
Babar is also one of the founding members of the PTI.
Several times since then, Imran has accused the ECP, among other government bodies, of being compromised and working for the benefit of Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister and head of the ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.