ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior on Tuesday informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that producing PTI chairman Imran Khan in a contempt case is a ‘security risk’, says in media reports.
Last year in August, the ECP had issued notices to Chaudhry, and others for allegedly using “intemperate” language against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja and the electoral body.
A four-member commission headed by Sindh Member Nisar Durrani heard the contempt case against former prime minister Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar. The former federal ministers appeared before the court, while the PTI chairman, who is in Adiala Jail was not presented.
The ministry and Islamabad police have informed the ECP in this regard citing that the production of the former premier would be a security risk. The ministry issued an apology to the ECP. AIG operations said the PTI chairman had been expressing concerns about his security.
The Interior Ministry has recommended to ECP to hear the contempt case in the jail. During the hearing, ECP said how the Interior Ministry will hold peaceful elections when it is not able to give security to an individual. The ECP while summoning the secretary Interior Ministry adjourned the further hearing of the case until November 13.
It is important to mention here that as per the production orders, the PTI chairman has to be presented before the ECP in the contempt case.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned the interior secretary for being unable to produce PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the case of defamation of the ECP.
The commission was hearing a defamation case against the PTI chief, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry. A four-member commission headed by Nisar Durrani adjourned the hearing till November 13.
Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar appeared before the commission, while Imran Khan was not brought to the election commission from Adiala Jail. PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen said the real insult to the election commission has taken place.
The operations assistant inspector general of police (AIG) submitted a report regarding the appearance of Imran Khan. It said Rawalpindi was a densely populated area, which is not without dangers. PTI Chairman Imran Khan has himself said there are threats to his life, the report stated.
The ECP’s member from Sindh, Nisar Durrani, asked the AIG if he believed whatever Imran Khan said was true. The Interior Ministry suggested the election commission go to Adiala Jail to conduct the hearing. The commission asked the ministry to get it in writing from Imran Khan that he was sorry. “If the
Ministry of Interior cannot provide security to one person, how will it conduct elections?” the commission questioned. “How can the ministry order the commission? The interior secretary should appear himself,” the ECP ordered. The hearing of the contempt of election commission case was adjourned till November 13.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday summoned the interior secretary over non-compliance of presenting PTI chief before it in case of contempt of the electoral body.
Shoaib Shaheen, the counsel of chairman PTI who appeared before the ECP informed it that his client could not be produced as the interior secretary had said his life was in danger.
Advocate Shaheen said that it was an insult of the ECP. The commission had issued production orders for the PTI Chairman but it was not implemented, he added. Punjab Police AIG (Operations) told the ECP that there are threats to the life of chairman which he himself had expressed.
The head of the bench, Nisar Durrani, asked the police officer whether he believed what the PTI chief had said was true.
The AIG said that Rawalpindi is densely populated and the journey of PTI chief to the ECP is not safe. He showed his inability to produce the PTI chief before the ECP and suggested that the commission must get a written apology from the accused by itself.
Earlier, the AIG submitted a report to the ECP regarding the appearance of PTI chief in which the interior ministry asked the commission to go to Adiala Jail to hear the case. On AIG’s apology, the ECP summoned the interior secretary on November 13.
The ECP expressed anguish on the interior secretary’s apology and observed that if the department cannot provide security to a single person, how it [ECP] could hold general elections. “How interior ministry can order the ECP,” the head of the four-member bench asked.
The ministry of interior will not produce the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) due to security reasons. The ministry and Islamabad police have informed the ECP in this regard citing that production of former premier would be a security risk. The ministry issued the apology to the ECP.