ISLAMABAD
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday asked Advocate Shoaib Shaheen, counsel for former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, to file a reply to the show-cause notice issued to his client in the contempt case, and the ECP would issue the order for his production.
A four-member bench, headed by Member Nisar Durrani, heard the case of indictment of the PTI chairman for making contemptuous remarks against the election commission as well as the chief election commissioner (CEC).
Advocate Shaheen said that since Imran was in Adiala Jail; therefore his production order be issued so that he could appear before the bench.
Member Balochistan Shah Muhammad Jatoi asked Imran’s counsel to file a reply to the show-cause notice first before the ECP could issue the production order.
Jatoi asked Advocate Shaheen to say whatever he wanted to say in his client’s defence.
Member Durrani then asked the advocate in which jail the PTI chairman was. “We write to the IGP for the provision of security to the former prime minister on his way to the ECP,” the member said.
Imran’s lawyer said that the police did not produce his client in courts, citing security concerns.
Member Durrani remarked there was a time when the PTI chairman was reluctant to appear in the ECP. “You please issue the production order first so that he could come to the commission,” Advocate Shaheen requested.
The case’s hearing was then adjourned until October 24.
Regretting that the courts had not issued former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s production orders in any case as yet, former federal minister in the PTI government Asad Umar on Wednesday said that just like others, Imran should also be produced in courts so that he could defend himself.
Speaking to the media outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) office in Islamabad, he said that if the PTI awarded him a ticket, he would definitely contest the election.
Former federal minister also demanded that the election schedule be announced as soon as possible.
