ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) directed the Islamabad police on Tuesday to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and produce him on October 26.
“You are hereby directed to arrest Imran Khan Niazi and produce him before the election commission on 26-10-2017 at 10:00 AM,” read the ECP’s letter to Islamabad SSP.
On October 12, a five-member bench of the ECP issued warrants after the PTI chief ignored the ECP’s August 24 show cause notice related to a foreign funding case. Imran earlier ignored numerous ECP summons to appear in person.According to him, it was not within the commission’s jurisdiction to conduct contempt proceedings against a member of the parliament.However, in an expected move on Monday, the party decided that its chief will “voluntarily appear before ECP”.
The contempt application was filed on January 23 by a PTI dissident member Akbar S Babar who had turned against Imran in 2011 over alleged corruption and illegal funding in the party.Imran and Babar have been embroiled in a legal battle at the ECP and the IHC for the last three years.Separately, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad issued non-bailable warrants against Imran and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahir-ul-Qadri in connection with an attack on a police official, SSP Asmatullah Junejo.
Published in Daily Times, October 18th 2017.
