The country’s top electoral board issued arrest warrants for Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other key leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Wednesday. The lawsuit was launched against the party after several of its top leaders spoke out against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja.
A court of justices led by Nisar Durrani issued the warrants against Khan and his close aides, Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar.
The election watchdog issued notices against them in August and September of last year, using its contempt powers, after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders repeatedly chastised the commission and Raja for what they claim is their partisan policy and alleged favoritism toward the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The ECP had offered the PTI leaders one last chance to appear before it at the last session. During the hearing on Tuesday, the commission denied their requests for leave to appear and issued arrest warrants against bail bonds of Rs 50,000 apiece. The hearing was postponed until January 17 by the bench.