ECP orders police to arrest Imran, produce him on 25th

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday ordered the Islamabad Police to arrest the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and produce him before it on September 25. The arrest warrant has been issued in the wake of Imran’s continued absence from the ECP with regard to a contempt hearing against him and a series of orders issued to him.

The warrant is bailable and mentions that Imran may be released by the police if he submits bail of Rs100,000 along with two sureties and announces that he will attend the ECP hearings. The warrant, addressed to the SSP operations, says Imran has been charged with contempt under Section 103-A of the Representation of People Act, 1976 for failing to appear before the commission despite issuance of a show cause notice.

The commission also issued a notice to the advocate general, Islamabad, telling him that contempt proceeding in the contempt case against Imran Khan had been initiated and fixed for hearing on September 25 at the Election Commission Secretariat at 10:00am.

“As the matter pertains to contempt proceedings under Section 103A of the Representation of the People Act, 1976 read with Article 204 of the Constitution, 1973, a notice is hereby given to you so that you may appear and conduct proceedings before the commission,” it said.

Meanwhile, notices were issued to six lawmakers, including a minister, to appear before the commission or through their lawyers on September 20 for being part of the poll campaign for the PML-N candidate Begum Kulsoom Nawaz in NA-120.  The lawmakers include Talal Chaudhry MNA, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Shaista Pervaiz MNA, Mehmoodur Rashid MPA, Saadia Sohail MPA and Malik Saiful Malook MPA.