ECP hints at charge-sheeting Imran, others on Nov 10

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday hinted at charge-sheeting PTI chief Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry after November 10 in the contempt case. A four-member bench — headed by Sindh Member Nisar Durrani —heard the contempt of court case.

Imran’s counsel Anwar Mansoor argued that the question of legality of the show cause notice should be answered first, as it had been issued by the secretary Election Commission and not the Election Commission. He further argued that the show cause notice bore someone else’s signature (DG Law ECP). He said unless this issue was resolved, the show-cause notices were illegal.

To this, Nisar Durrani said the notice was issued by the secretary but the show cause was issued on behalf of the Election Commission. When Anwar requested the bench to hold the hearing after October 31, Nisar Durrani said the commission would be left with no option but to frame the charges on November 10. It is interesting to note that the PTI has filed an application with the Islamabad administration for staging a sit-in on the Kashmir

Highway between H-9 and G-9. When Anwar insisted that the Election Commission was not a court, Nisar Durrani said, “When have we said that the Election Commission is a court; we have jurisdiction.” Later, the case hearing was adjourned for an indefinite period.