ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday summoned the Interior Secretary over non-compliance of order after the ministry informed that PTI Chairman Imran Khan could not be produced before the electoral body in a contempt case due to ‘severe security risk.’
A four-member commission headed by Sindh Member Nisar Durrani heard the contempt proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar. The former federal ministers appeared before the court, but the PTI chairman could not be brought from Adiala Jail.
Shoaib Shaheen, the counsel of chairman PTI who appeared before the ECP informed it that his client could not be produced as the Interior Secretary had said his life was in danger.
Advocate Shaheen said that it was an insult to the ECP, which had issued production orders for the PTI chairman’s production but it was not implemented.
The ministry and Punjab Police AIG (Operations) informed the ECP in this regard citing that the production of the former premier would be a security risk. The Interior Ministry has recommended to the ECP to hear the contempt case in the jail.
The head of the bench, Nisar Durrani, asked the police officer whether he believed what the PTI chief had said was true.
During the hearing, ECP said how the Interior Ministry will hold peaceful elections when it is not able to give security to an individual. The ECP while summoning the secretary Interior Ministry adjourned the further hearing of the case until November 13.
“How interior ministry can order the ECP,” the head of the four-member bench asked.
The ECP expressed anguish on the interior secretary’s apology and observed that if the department cannot provide security to a single person, how it [ECP] could hold general elections.
The AIG said that Rawalpindi is densely populated and the journey of PTI chief to the ECP is not safe. He showed his inability to produce the PTI chief before the ECP and suggested that the commission must get a written apology from the accused by itself.
