ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In his petition, Khan has stated that the ECP has made him a target of political victimisation and exceeded its jurisdiction.
It also adds that the commission has violated his basic rights by issuing the warrants.
The Islamabad police had on Tuesday received the non-bailable arrest warrants issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in the contempt of court case.
As per details, the warrants were received by Inspector General of Police Islamabad.
The IGP forwarded the warrants to SSP Operations Islamabad for necessary action.
The ECP on October 12 had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran Khan in the contempt of court case against him for “repeatedly failing to appear for the hearing and for failing to send a written apology to the ECP for his absence in court”.
The ECP had ordered that the PTI chairman be arrested and brought to the next hearing of the case filed by PTI dissident and one of the party’s founding members, Akbar S. Babar, on October 26.
Earlier this year, the ECP had issued a contempt of court notice to Khan over his “scandalous remarks” about the commission. Khan had accused the ECP of being biased in the foreign funding case following which his lawyer had tendered an apology with the commission. However, the PTI chairman in a TV interview later said that his counsel had tendered an apology in his personal capacity and that he had not apologised.
Imran Khan had initially challenged the maintainability of the contempt petition and raised objections over ECP’s jurisdiction to initiate contempt proceedings against him. However, the ECP declared on August 10 that it had the legal right to hear the contempt case. It then issued a formal show-cause notice to the PTI chairman, asking him to submit a reply by Aug 23.
On September 14, the ECP had issued bailable warrants against Imran to ensure his presence in the case.
The ECP had ordered Imran to submit a surety bond of Rs100,000 until September 25 and nominate two persons who would ensure payment of the amount and be held responsible otherwise.
Imran was also ordered to appear on that day in the commission in person.