Bulletins 1200 10th August 2017

ISLAMABAD: Despite challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s Jurisdiction in contempt of court case, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has been issued a ‘show cause’ notice by the ECP after announcing its subject-matter jurisdiction over the matter.

A five-member tribunal of the ECP on Thursday was hearing the petition filed by Akbar S. Babar, seeking disqualification of Imran, when it rejected the PTI chairman’s objections with regard to the election commission’s jurisdiction to hear contempt of court cases.

The ECP ruled that it can take action against the contempt of court cases while granting time to party chief Imran Khan till August 23 to submit his reply before the ECP.

Earlier, the PTI chief had challenged the election commission’s jurisdiction in the case while submitting a reply on July 10.

Subsequently, Imran’s counsel Advocate Babar Awan contended that the constitution grants ECP a different status than high courts and such cases fall under jurisdiction of high courts.

On July 25, the election commission reserved a decision in the case after hearing Awan’s arguments.

Former PTI leader Akbar Babar had taken Khan to ECP earlier this year for accusing it of being biased against the PTI chief in a case related to party’s foreign funding. The petitioner argued that Khan should have tendered apology over his comments but he failed to do so. Instead his lawyer tendered apology in his personal capacity, he added.

Earlier on Jan 24, the ECP had issued a contempt notice to the PTI chief over his contemptuous remarks about the ECP.