Pakistan's election body issues arrest warrant for former Premier Khan

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for former prime minister and chairman of the main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, in cases related to the contempt of the electoral body.

A four-member bench of the ECP, headed by Nisar Durrani, a member of the electoral body, issued the warrants for Khan, and his party’s former Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, local broadcaster ARY reported.

The bench accepted the exemption from the appearance of former general secretary of PTI, Asad Umar, at the request of his lawyer and adjourned the case until July 25.

Earlier this year, the ECP also issued bailable arrest warrants for Khan in the same case.

Last year in August, the election authorities issued notices to Khan and his close aides for contempt of ECP after they accused the Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja and the electoral body of being a subsidiary of the ruling party.