PTI chairman’s indictment in ECP contempt case deferred again

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday deferred the indictment of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former party leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry in the ECP contempt case.

Former prime minister and former ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar did not appear before the ECP for a hearing of the contempt case.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had issued notices regarding indictment proceedings in the case. It had also issued a summons notice to the three suspects to appear in person.

A four-member bench headed by ECP member Nisar Durrani conducted the hearing.

The PTI chairman’s lawyer also did not appear due to his engagements in the important cases in Supreme Court, his assistant informed the ECP.

A written report was also submitted to the court over the non-appearance of Imran Khan. The written report was submitted by Interior Secretary Aftab Durrani personally.

The commission member asked that if there were security concerns, could the hearing be notified in jail?

“If you want to conduct the hearing in jail, you can notify,” the interior secretary responded, adding that the ministry allowed courts to hold hearings in prisons.

The election commission is a constitutional body, that has its own rules, the ECP member remarked and stressed that besides the Constitution and the Elections Act, no other law applied to the commission.

The member asked if the law allowed permission to hold hearings in jails. The interior secretary asked for some time to seek the opinion of the ministry.

The commission was informed that Fawad Chaudhry was also in Adiala Jail. At this, the ECP said it would issue an order on this matter.

Later, the hearing was adjourned till December 6.