By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s election commission ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, accusing him of contempt for failing to appear before the regulator despite repeated notices and warrants.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a letter to the Islamabad police chief that Khan had failed to appear before the commission despite repeated notices and bailable warrants in connection with a contempt case initiated against him last year.
Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, is accused of making derogatory remarks about the ECP and its chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in August last year, when he criticised the commission for its handling of some by-elections.
The ECP issued contempt notices to Khan and two other leaders, PTI’s Asad Umar and former minister Fawad Chaudhry, for their public criticism of the commission. Umar sought exemption from appearing before the ECP while Chaudhry tendered an unconditional apology.
The ECP instructed the Islamabad police chief that Khan had to be presented before the commission on Tuesday at 10 a.m.
“The commission, in exercise of powers, vested in it under Section 4(2) of the Elections Act 2017, and other enabling provisions of act and rules, has issued non-bailable warrant of arrest of Mr. Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi,” the letter said, using Khan’s full name.
“This warrant authorises and requires you to arrest the said Mr. Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and bring him before the Election Commission of Pakistan on 25th day of July, 2023 at 10:00 am.”
The ECP amended its rules last year to authorise its officers to issue contempt notices and grant bail to persons arrested on contempt charges. The ECP’s order came just hours after Khan got respite from the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which restrained authorities from arresting him till August 9 in connection with the murder by unknown gunmen in Quetta city of a lawyer seeking sedition proceedings against him.
Khan, the leader of the main opposition party, has been embroiled in over 100 cases since he was ousted last year and has accused the government and the military of trying to destroy his party.
Khan, who has been campaigning for an early election since his ouster, faces charges of inciting violence, treason, terrorism and corruption in various courts across the country.
He denies any wrongdoing and says the cases are politically motivated.
The military says it does not interfere in political affairs and the government denies political persecution.
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