Imran fails to submit response to ECP in contempt of court case

E-Paper | May 31, 2026

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan on Tuesday failed to submit his reply to a contempt of court case filed against him before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Last week, the ECP had rejected Khan's response to the case and gave him another chance to submit a fresh reply within the week.

Representing the PTI chief, Shahid Gondal told the ECP that Khan has also changed his counsel and will now be represented by Advocate Babar Awan.

"A new response has been prepared and will be submitted before the ECP by Awan," Gondal said.

He added that Khan had failed to appear before the ECP because he was in Chitral.

"Sometimes he [Imran Khan] is in Chitral, sometimes he is in Nathia Gali," chief election commissioner (CEC), retired justice Sardar Muhammad Raza remarked.

"He is a national leader," Gondal said in response.

The CEC told the lawyer that the ECP did not need Imran Khan's response and would pass a verdict without it.

The hearing was adjourned till July 10 and the ECP announced it would give its verdict in the next hearing.

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Sab se pehle pakistan

Jul 04, 2017 11:40am

The nation has lost trust on this ECP. It is biased towards PML-N. Infact it is working like a political wing of PML-N.

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Rohail

Jul 04, 2017 11:59am

ECL has been exposed to public. It's a political wing.

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mUHAMMAD zAFAR iQBAL

Jul 04, 2017 12:07pm

ECP should declared its verdict , why the so called leader is now absconding to face the law when he is desirous for his opponents to be tried by the Law.

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Rafat

Jul 04, 2017 12:07pm

All leaders should respect institutes and appear even they are too busy. If PM can spear time for JIT why IK can not?

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NACParis

Jul 04, 2017 12:45pm

ECP should fulfill the desire of PML-N by disqualifying IK to see the result.

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Atif

Jul 04, 2017 01:17pm

Does a national leader mean exemption from responsibilities? and this one was brought on to himself. Secondly from this respective should NS being a leader and PM be exempted from many appearances? All national leaders should show a higher level of character and respect for institutions.

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Dr Khan

Jul 04, 2017 02:51pm

ECP has been behaving like PMLN B team. One response was given in which IK clearly said that he did not do any contempt of court. He said he has respect for all members of ECP. ECP announce the verdict and let public know that this institution is like other institution of Pakistan destroyed by PML N

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Azmeen

Jul 04, 2017 02:59pm

Why ECP is so accommodative in case of IK? In cas IK does not comply with the ECP request, it should take a swift action against him.

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A. Ashraf

Jul 05, 2017 07:01am

@Sab se pehle pakistan Let me make it clear from the outset that I am a die-hard fan of Imran Khan. But at the same time I think he should have been able to submit his response otherwise they (ECP, courts, whatever) are going to do whatever is lawful. My concern (and I think of whole nation) is that the PTI party should not rely on a single person for its proper working and ideology. This is because IK is, I think, 64 years old and how long can he live. There is a dire need to have multiple leaders in the PTI who are as ruthless and stubborn as IK is. If there were few other leaders like him in PTI today then, I think, we would not have worried about the decision of this case. So blaming ECP or saying that it is PML-N biased will not solve our problem. Its a much bigger problem.

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ozAbbasi

Jul 05, 2017 07:06am

ECP - don't you see anything wrong other than IK - open your eyes please! This guy is THE leader, let him lead. Rest PPP, PML N etc are to defeat nation to lead.

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