By Imran Khan, the influential leader steering the course of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), faced a noteworthy development today, standing alongside former party luminaries Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry.
The trio managed to elude indictment in a case involving alleged contempt of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the chief election commissioner.
Summoned by the ECP for indictment proceedings, Imran Khan, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry were noticeably absent during the Monday hearing presided over by a four-member bench headed by ECP member Nisar Durrani. In lieu of their appearance, an adjournment was requested.
Interior Secretary Aftab Durrani presented a written report to the court, addressing Imran Khan’s nonattendance. The interior secretary proposed the option of conducting the hearing within a prison setting, an idea that garnered approval, endorsed by the ministry’s authorization for legal proceedings in correctional facilities.
Throughout the proceedings, Nisar Durrani highlighted the commission’s autonomy, asserting that, aside from the parameters set by the Constitution and the Elections Act, no other laws exerted influence.
The legality of conducting hearings in jails was questioned, prompting the interior secretary to seek time for consultation with the ministry for an official stance.
It emerged that Fawad Chaudhry was also in Adiala Jail, prompting the ECP to signal its intent to issue an order on this matter. Significantly, Asad Umar found himself without legal counsel, with his attorney seeking a postponement, leaving the resolution of his case in a precarious state.
Shoaib Shaheen, the lawyer representing PTI, raised concerns during the hearing about limited access to Imran Khan in jail. He requested an appropriate order for a meeting with his client, prompting Nisar Durrani to propose the commission visit the jail for a hearing, ensuring the lawyer’s access to necessary facilities.
Expressing further apprehensions over PTI’s restricted rally permissions, Shoaib Shaheen appealed for a level playing field. In response, the ECP decided to adjourn the hearing of the case until December 6, leaving the fate of the contempt case uncertain.
