Non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Imran Khan

The ECP ordered that the PTI chief “be arrested and brought for the next hearing of the case” filed by PTI dissident and one of the party’s founding members, Akbar S. Babar, on October 26. PTI spokesperson eemul Haq said the party will challenge the warrant in the Islamabad High Court, Dawn news reported.

On September 14, the ECP had issued a bailable arrest warrant against Khan following his failure to show up for the proceedings, which were later suspended by the court on the PTI’s petition. In August, the ECP had issued a second show-cause notice to Khan after he failed to reply to an earlier notice regarding the contempt of court proceedings against him.

Khan had initially raised objections over ECP’s jurisdiction to initiate contempt proceedings against him. The commission, however, declared on August 10 that it had the legal right to hear the contempt case. It had then issued a formal show-cause notice to the PTI chairman, asking him to submit a reply by August 23.

The cricketer-turned-politician had accused the ECP of being biased in the foreign-funding case following which his counsel had tendered an apology with the commission. However, Khan in a TV interview later said that his counsel had tendered an apology in his persol capacity and that he had not apologised. (IANS)