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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday issued summons to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and senior leaders Asad Umar and Chaudhry Fawad Hussain for issuing “intemperate and contemptuous” statements against the electoral watchdog in various speeches.
The ECP has issued two notices to Khan and one each to Fawad and Umar, directing them to appear before it and respond to the allegations on Aug. 30. According to the notices, Khan used “insulting and indecent language” against the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in speeches on July 12, 18, 21, 27, Aug. 4 and 8. “You have used contemptuous remarks and levelled baseless allegations against the CEC,” read the notices.
Khan has ramped up his vitriol against the CEC and the incumbent ECP in recent months, accusing the body of “bias” and Raja of acting as a “proxy” for his opposition parties. In recent speeches, he has demanded Raja resign, alleging that he attempted to rig the Punjab by-elections—where the PTI won 15 of 20 seats—in the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)’s favor.
The notices issued by the ECP stress that all three PTI leaders have “willfully and intentionally scandalized, ridiculed, and maligned the integrity” of the CEC, which has disrespected the reputation of Sikander Sultan Raja. It has also alleged that the PTI leadership had attempted to instigate the public against the CEC, declaring this an “attempt to prejudice the process of forthcoming election which constitute a clear contempt of the commission.”
The ECP said the remarks were derogatory and in contempt under “Section 10 of the Elections Act, 2017 read with relevant provisions of the Contempt Of Court Ordinance, 2003.”
In light of these allegations, reads the notice, the PTI leaders must appear in person before the ECP through counsel on Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. along with a written reply explaining their position.