Islamabad, Jul 11: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued non-bailable arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a case of contempt. The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Khan, Chaudhry, and Asad Umar, former leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, for allegedly using disrespectful language against the electoral watchdog and its Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
The arrest warrant order was issued by a four-member ECP bench led by member Nisar Durrani after Khan and Chaudhry failed to appear before the commission despite repeated warnings. However, Umar was exempted from the arrest warrant as his counsel cited other commitments and a medical appointment.
The ECP had requested the PTI leaders to present themselves or their counsels to explain their position, but instead, they challenged the ECP notices and contempt proceedings in higher courts. In January, the Supreme Court allowed the ECP to proceed with the case against Khan, Chaudhry, and Umar, leading to the framing of charges against them by the ECP.
Imran Khan, 70, has faced numerous cases in various courts since his removal from power in April of the previous year. Fawad Chaudhry, once a staunch supporter of Khan, resigned from PTI following violent protests carried out by party supporters on May 9, after Khan’s arrest at the Islamabad High Court. The government responded with a crackdown on PTI leaders and workers, leading to arrests and charges related to attacks on civil and military installations.
During the protests, Khan’s supporters vandalized several military installations and stormed the Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The clashes resulted in a death toll of 10, according to the police, while the PTI claimed that 40 of its workers were killed in the firing by security personnel.
