Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI, and other leaders were given one final opportunity by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday to appear in a contempt case brought against them.
They would face arrest warrants, ECP Member Nisar Durrani threatened, if they skipped the following hearing. The PTI leader, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry have been asked by the top electoral body to respond to the show-cause notices by January 17.
Member Akramullah Khan made a comment about why the PTI leaders’ arrest warrants shouldn’t be issued during the hearing. Lawyer Ali Bokhari responded by requesting that notices rather than warrants be issued by the ECP.
Imran Khan was unable to appear before the ECP due to his health, Mr. Bokhari informed the ECP, adding that Fawad Chaudhry had requested a leave of absence because his mother was a patient. Asad Umar, the leader of the PTI, could not appear before the Commission, he continued, because he missed his flight.
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Due to their divisive comments against the ECP, the PTI chairman and other PTI leaders are the targets of the case.