ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday warned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) senior leaders that ex parte proceedings would be held if they failed to appear in another hearing of the contempt case.

The warning came as top leaders of the PTI — chairman Imran Khan, secretary general Asad Umar and senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry — did not attend the hearing of the contempt case against them.

During the hearing, ECP member from Balochistan asked why Mr Khan, Mr Umar and Mr Chaudhary were absent from the proceedings?

An assistant to Advocate Faisal Chaudhry, the counsel for the PTI leaders, replied that they and their counsel had to attend the funeral of Latif Afridi in Peshawar.

The ECP member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said the high court had suspended the arrest warrants for these PTI leaders but it had not exempted them from attending the ECP proceedings. He also said they had not filed a request for exemption from the proceedings either.

ECP Sindh member Nisar Durrani said the commission would hold ex parte proceedings and announce its verdict if the PTI leaders skipped the next hearing.

Further hearing of the case was adjourned till January 24.

In August last year, the ECP had issued a contempt notice to the PTI leaders for insulting the commission and its chief.

Earlier, the ECP had also issued bailable arrest warrants of the three leaders, but they were suspended by the Lahore High Court on Monday.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2023