SUKKUR:While announcing the reserved decision, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday rejected the plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the prohibited fund confiscation case.
The ECP ordered the PTI to submit a reply to the show cause notice by May 30 next. A period of four months should be given to collect the information, the PTI requested.
Meanwhile, the ECP also ordered the PTI leaders including Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry to appear in person in the contempt of election commission case.
The contempt of the election commission case against Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry was heard by a three-member commission headed by Member Election Commission Nisar Durrani.
Lawyer Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the ECP on behalf of Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry while the assistant lawyer appeared on behalf of Asad Umar.
Lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told the commission that the order of the ECP had been received the previous day. “How could we prepare when the order was received late?”
Member Election Commission Ikramullah Khan said that Imran Khan had been given an opportunity to appear in person at the previous hearing as well.
“There are 150 cases against us; 36 cases [are heard] every day,” the lawyer said.
Member Election Commission Shah Muhammad Jatoi said that even when there were not 150 cases, he did not appear.
Lawyer Faisal Chaudhry pleaded that the hearing be adjourned to the first week of June. “Things are not in our hands. The election commission should stop thinking that we are insulting them. This case has been pending in the election commission for six months,” he added.
Member Election Commission Ikramullah Khan said that in the previous hearing, an arrest warrant had been ordered over non-appearance.
The ECP ordered Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar to appear in person and warned them to issue their non-bailable arrest warrants if they did not appear at the next hearing. Further hearing of the case was adjourned till June 5 next.