Former Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to be indicted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on August 2 as the top electoral watchdog issued a summons to him on Friday for indictment in a contempt case that involves other members of his party.
The ECP had initiated criminal charges against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, former party secretary general Asad Umar and former senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the chief election commissioner and the electoral body.
The ECP on Friday temporarily suspended the arrest warrants for Khan and ordered him to ensure his presence at the next hearing for the framing of charges, as per a report by Geo News. It stated that the PTI chairman will be charged on August 2. Khan's counsel had asked for time to get the record of the case during the last hearing, which was accepted.
On July 24, a day before his appearance, the ECP had ordered Islamabad police to arrest Khan and present him before the election watchdog.
Khan's legal troubles
Khan is facing more than 140 cases across the country and faces charges like terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption and murder since he was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
In yet another jolt to Khan, the Supreme Court recently rejected his plea to stay the criminal proceedings against him in the Toshakhana corruption case. The case pertains to the allegations that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief had “deliberately concealed” details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana — a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept — during his time as the prime minister and proceeds from their reported sales.
ALSO READ | No relief! Pakistan SC rejects Imran Khan's plea to stay criminal proceedings in Toshakhana corruption case
