ECP hears election commission contempt case against PTI founder

ISLAMABAD: A four-member panel headed by ECP’s Sindh member conducted contempt of election commission hearing on Tuesday against founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry were indicted in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) contempt case in the last hearing.

“We didn’t aware of the hearing and not received any notice,” defence lawyer Shoaib Shaheen said. “We didn’t know that the commission won’t conduct trial in jail but at the commission,” lawyer said.

“The date was announced in previous hearing in jail,” ECP member said.

“It is an excess, we are not getting the level playing field and election commission contempt case being conducted against us,” PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen lamented.

“You abuse us, and we do nothing against it,” ECP member Balochistan said. “You didn’t summon the PDM parties which use contemptuous language against the supreme court,” the lawyer further said.

“In Rahim Yar Khan 150 people were booked in cases,” he complained. “Why do you attack the electoral staff,” Balochistan member questioned. “How the accused behaved in jail, we also tolerate it,” the member added.

The commission adjourned further hearing of the case till January 24.

In previous hearing of the contempt case, held in Adiala Jail, the accused were formally charged through a read-aloud indictment, after which the hearing was adjourned till January 16.

In August 2022, the ECP issued notices to the founder of PTI and others for allegedly using “intemperate” language against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja and the electoral watchdog.