Pak Election Commission directs police to arrest Imran Khan

The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed Islamabad Police to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and to present him before the commission on 25 September after issuing his arrest warrant a day earlier.

The directives were given in a letter sent to Islamabad's senior superintendent of police on Friday, the Express Tribune reported.

However, Imran can avoid the arrest if he obtains pre-arrest bail.

Former PTI leader Akbar S Babar had filed the petition in January this year, regarding the party's alleged receipt of illegal foreign-funding. Following which a show-cause notice for contempt, dated 24 August, was issued.

The notice was served after Imran allegedly declined to submit the party's detailed accounts and instead cast aspersions on the ECP by calling it 'biased'.

Moreover, the PTI chief has already challenged the ECP's show-cause notice in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), where a three-judge bench, which adjourned hearings till September 20 without granting a stay order against the ECP's show-cause notice or arrest warrant.

The notice by the ECP had accused Imran of "having chosen not to submit an unconditional apology, thereby obstructing the administration of justice and willfully flouting the directions of the commission."

Despite being given repeated opportunities, the PTI chief refused to tender an unconditional apology in utter disregard of the commission's direction, it added.

The ECP further accused him of underestimating the authority of the commission and "bringing it into disrepute and disrespect and to interfere with, obstruct, interrupt and prejudice the process of law and the due course of proceedings, and scandalising the commission".

Earlier in July, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad had issued orders to confiscate the properties and assets of Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri for repeatedly failing to appear in hearings of terrorism cases registered against them.

The order was subsequently sent to relevant police stations and revenue boards for implementation. 

-ANI