ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday indicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry in a case of contempt against the ECP and the chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.
A four-member bench of the electoral body conducted the hearing of the case in Adiala jail, Rawalpindi today.
The bench announced the decision of indictment of Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry in this case.
Imran Khan, the former prime minister and Fawad Chaudhry, former information minister were present in the courtroom during the hearing. They denied the allegations mentioned in the charge sheet.
The ECP, nonetheless, adjourned the hearing on the contempt case till January 16.
Earlier, the electoral commission began contempt proceedings against former PTI chairman, ex-party leader Asad Umar, and Fawad for disrespecting the commission and its head in various public gatherings, press conferences, and multiple interviews. The notice accused these politicians of making disrespectful and inappropriate remarks about the ECP on different occasions.
They were given the option to either appear personally before the commission or send their representatives to explain their stance. Instead, they chose to challenge the commission’s authority in various high courts. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling in January 2023 allowed the commission to proceed with the case. On June 21, the ECP decided to frame charges against them, which hadn’t been done yet.
In the last hearing on December 27, the PTI founder and former information minister were not formally charged. The proceedings for these two were postponed until today, January 3.
PTI leader Asghar Chaudhry, addressing the media outside Adiala jail, criticized the Election Commission, likening it to an unprecedented body not even witnessed during the martial law period.
More to follow……………
