LHC bars ECP from delivering verdict on contempt plea

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday restrained the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from announcing its final decision on contempt proceedings initiated against former prime minister Imran Khan.

LHC Justice Waheed Khan also directed the ECP to continue the proceedings, requesting LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti to mark the case to a full bench for further hearing.

The PTI chairman had filed a petition in the LHC, challenging an ECP notification under Section 10 of Elections Act 2017 and Rule 4 of the Election Rules, 2017; which are related to the contempt of the polls supervisor.

The petitioner had submitted that the contempt proceedings were initiated against him without jurisdiction by the ECP secretary and the RCP director general law therefore it should be declared as unconstitutional and unlawful.

In Islamabad, meanwhile, the ECP heard the contempt case against the PTI chairman, and then party leaders, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry. However, the PTI chief did not submit his response to the ECP’s show-cause notice.

A three-member ECP bench led by its member Nisar Durrani allowed the requests for exemption from personal attendance of the three and adjourned the hearing till Sept 5.

During the hearing, lawyer Shoaib Shaheen filed an application about the proceedings in the LHC, while Umar's lawyer Anwar Mansoor filed the plea pertaining to proceedings on the matter in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Sitting on the bench, ECP member Ikramullah Khan said that the SHC had only stopped them from giving the final decision, while the LHC had also given permission to continue the proceedings.

Lawyer Shaheen told the bench that he was not allowed to meet the PTI chairman in jail, stressing that before submitting the reply to the ECP show-cause notice, his consultation with his client was necessary.