ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) adjourned the hearing of the code of conduct violation case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.
ECP was expected to give the verdict on the case on Monday.
Imran Khan’s counsel informed the ECP that PTI has challenged the ECP’s code of conduct in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Babar Awan, on the behalf of Imran Khan, presented the arguments before a four-member ECP bench headed by the chief election commissioner (CEC), which resumed hearing of Imran’s alleged code of conduct violation case.
Imran’s counsel told the ECP bench that the IHC will take up the case on Dec 15.
Justice (r) Sardar Muhammad Raza, chief election commissioner, expressed annoyance at the argument, saying that they cannot be running around dates and adjournments.
However, ECP adjourned the hearing.
Imran has been put on trial for violating the ECP’s conduct in public gatherings at Jehlum and Sahiwal, just before the NA-120 by-poll this year.
Earlier on Nov 15, as the hearing in the case began, the PTI counsel had asked the ECP to adjourn the hearing against the Imran till the IHC hearing on the case on Nov 29.
PTI chief’s counsel, Shahid Gondal, while presenting his arguments before the ECP’s five-member bench said that the case is under hearing at the IHC, thus ECP should adjourn it. The chief election commissioner Justice (Retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, who also headed the five-member bench, responded to the counsel’s request that if the case will be adjourned, the decision will be delayed.
He asked PTI counsel whether the IHC issued stay order on the hearing of the case and in case it has, then PTI should provide a copy of the judgement to the ECP.
In response, Gondal stated that IHC has stopped ECP from giving a final verdict on the case, however, failed to produce a stay order.
Justice (r) Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan had said that the ECP will resume hearing on Dec 4 and give a verdict on the same day.
