Election Commission issues Imran Khan's arrest warrant!

In a contempt case, Pakistan’s top electoral board on Tuesday issued arrest warrants with the possibility of a bond for former prime minister Imran Khan and other senior members of his party. The case is supported by remarks made against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja by prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf officials.

Warrants were issued against Khan and his close aides Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar by a four-member ECP panel led by Nisar Durrani.

Using its powers of contempt, the election watchdog sent notices against them in August and September of last year after PTI leaders frequently criticised Raja and the commission for what they claimed was their political stance and their purported favouritism of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The PTI leaders had been granted one final opportunity to appear before the ECP at the previous session.

The panel denied their requests to be excused from appearing at the hearing on Tuesday and issued arrest warrants secured by bail bonds of Rs 50,000 apiece. The hearing was postponed by the bench until January 17. Khan has been requesting the resignation of the ECP president for allegedly failing to act as an impartial election commissioner. The chief denied the calls, saying he was operating within the bounds of the law.