PTI leaders decry arrest warrants in ECP contempt case

Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar condemn the electoral body's move, threaten legal action

Senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar on Tuesday expressed their dismay with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as they called it out for its "bias".

The condemnation by both leaders came hours after the ECP's decision to issue bailable arrest warrants for PTI chief Imran Khan and other senior party leaders, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, for failing to appear before the commission in contempt proceedings.

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The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran as well as Umar and Fawad for constantly issuing statements against the electoral body and its chief election commissioner.

In a tweet, Fawad said that "the ECP's decision to issue a bailable warrant is an insult to the high court's decision".

الیکشن کمیشن کا قابل ضمانت وارنٹ جاری کرنے کا فیصلہ ہائیکورٹ کے فیصلے کی توہین ہے، کیس کی تاریخ 17 جنوری گھی جس کو رولز کے خلاف آج مقرر کرکے فیصلہ دیا گیا یہ الیکشن کمیشن کے ان بونے ممبران کا ایک اور جانبدار فیصلہ ہے، اس فیصلے کے خلاف ہائیکورٹ میں توھین عدالت کا مقدمہ کریں گے

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 10, 2023

"The case had been fixed for January 17, which was moved up to today against the rules and the case was decided," he claimed.

Fawad went on to say that it was "yet another biased decision" by the ECP members and asserted that the PTI leaders would "pursue a contempt of court case against this decision in the high court".

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Meanwhile, Asad Umar took the opportunity to remind the electoral watchdog to focus on its primary responsibilities instead.

الیکشن کمیشن نے وارنٹ گرفتاری جاری کر دیئے عمران خان صاحب، میرے اور فواد چوہدری کے. اپنا الیکشن کروانے کا کام کرنے کے بجائے ان کاموں میں لگے ہوئے ہیں. خود یہ توہینِ عدالت کے مرتکب ہیں اسلام آباد الیکشن نہ کروا کر

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) January 10, 2023

"They are engaged in these tasks instead of conducting elections," he said, adding that "they are themselves in contempt of court for not having conducted Islamabad [local body] elections."