Pakistan’s prime election physique on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant in opposition to former prime minister Imran Khan in a case of contempt.
The Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) additionally issued a non-bailable arrest warrant in opposition to former Info and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry for a similar offence.
The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings final yr in opposition to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Khan and former occasion leaders Chaudhry and Asad Umar for allegedly utilizing “intemperate” language in opposition to the electoral watchdog and its head, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
The arrest warrant order in opposition to Khan and Chaudhry was handed by a four-member ECP bench headed by member Nisar Durrani after the 2 PTI leaders failed to look earlier than it on Tuesday regardless of a number of warnings.
Nonetheless, Umar was spared after his counsel instructed the ECP that his shopper had one other case to attend and a medical appointment, requesting an exemption from look.
The election fee accepted the request and directed the lawyer to submit a proper plea on this regard nevertheless it issued non-bailable arrest warrants in opposition to Khan and Chaudhry and adjourned the listening to until July 25.
The ECP had requested the PTI leaders to look in particular person or via their counsels to clarify their place however as a substitute, they challenged the ECP notices and contempt proceedings in greater courts.
After prolonged proceedings, the Supreme Courtroom in January allowed the ECP to proceed proceedings in opposition to Khan, Chaudhry and Umar. Subsequently, the ECP determined to border prices in opposition to them.
Khan, 70, has been going through scores of instances in numerous courts after he was faraway from energy in April final yr.
Chaudhry, as soon as a diehard supporter of Khan, give up PTI over the Could 9 violence carried out by the occasion supporters.
Violent protests sparked throughout the nation on Could 9 after PTI chief Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad Excessive Courtroom.
The federal government later launched an enormous crackdown in opposition to the PTI leaders and staff and rounded up hundreds of individuals on prices of attacking civil and navy installations.
Khan’s supporters vandalised a dozen navy installations, together with the Lahore Corps Commander’s Home, the Mianwali airbase and the ISI constructing in Faisalabad in response to Khan’s arrest.
The mob additionally stormed the Military headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi for the primary time.
Police put the dying toll in violent clashes to 10 whereas Khan’s occasion claims 40 of its staff misplaced their lives within the firing by safety personnel.
