Pakistan: Poll body issues notice to Imran Khan over 'contemptuous remarks'

Some PTI leaders instructed to appear before Election Commission on August 30

By ANI

Published: Sat 20 Aug 2022, 2:11 PM

Pakistan's top election body has issued a notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for using "intemperate and contemptuous remarks" against the poll watchdog in recent political speeches.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday also issued notice against other PTI leaders and former ministers and directed them to appear in person or through counsel before the commission office in Islamabad on August 30, the Dawn newspaper reported.

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The poll body accused the former Pakistan prime minister Imran of levelling baseless allegations at the ECP and its chief in his addresses both in the month of July and August, the report said.

Expressing vocal disapproval of the ECP and its chief, Imran and his supporters have repeatedly demanded Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja resign. They even claimed that PTI won the Punjab by-polls despite the use of state machinery in PML-N's favour.

After a resounding victory in Punjab by polls, the former Pakistan PM last month urged Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja to resign, stating that his party won the elections despite the misuse of state machinery.

Pakistan's ruling PML-N party lost provincial government in Punjab after a decisive win by Imran Khan's PTI in the byelections of 20 seats. The Khan-led PTI won 15 seats, while PM Sharif's PML-N managed to secure just four seats.

At a public address following his triumph in the Punjab province, Imran Khan insisted that early general elections still were the only solution to the country's current woes, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The PTI chief said that the CEC tried his best to turn the polls in favour of Shehbaz Sharif's PML-N.

"I am disappointed in the chief election commissioner. How could he let all this happen? He is not competent to run [the Election Commission of Pakistan] and is biased towards a political party. Raja should immediately resign."

Responding to Imran Khan's allegations, the ECP notice reads: "You [Imran] have willfully and intentionally scandalised, ridiculed, and maligned this commission and the members of the commission in order to bring the commission and its members into hatred in eyes of general public, which otherwise is an attempt to prejudice."

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According to Dawn, the Pakistan election body found the remarks derogatory and in contempt under its rules and regulation.

It also berated the leaders for instigating the public against the ECP chief by using derogatory language which was an "attempt to prejudice the process of forthcoming election which constitute a clear contempt of the commission."