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Supreme Court serves notice to Imran Khan in ECP contempt case

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  • Supreme Court adjourns the case hearing for the next two weeks.
  • SC also seeks responses from Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar.
  • ECP alleges Khan levelled “baseless allegations” against commisison.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday served notices to PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his aides — Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar — in contempt of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) case.

A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ayesha A Malik, and Justice Athar Minallah heard the case filed by the ECP to transfer all its contempt cases against PTI leaders from different high courts to a single one.

The election commission has accused the ex-premier of levelling “baseless allegations” against the ECP and its chief in his addresses on July 18, 21, 27, August 4 and 10.

Today’s hearing

During the course of proceedings, the bench remarked that the election commission requested to transfer the cases pending in different high courts to one high court.

The ECP was of the opinion that they should prepare for local and general elections or had to fight cases in different courts, it added.

The chief justice said that the ECP also presented a judicial precedent of merging cases with the order of the Supreme Court. The Election Commission is relying on Article 186A, he added.

He asked the ECP counsel whether there was a precedent of the Supreme Court to merge the cases of different high courts. At this, the lawyer said that the top court ordered the consolidation of income tax cases pending in various high courts in 1999.

(L tor R) PTI leaders Asad Umar, chairperson Imran Khan, and Fawad Chaudhry. — AFP/File
(L tor R) PTI leaders Asad Umar, chairperson Imran Khan, and Fawad Chaudhry. — AFP/File

Upon this, the CJP said that clubbing of cases pending in different high courts must have the same point of law. He asked who were the petitioners in contempt of election commission cases in the high courts.

The counsel replied that PTI leaders Khan, Chaudhry, and Umar had filed cases against the election commission in the different high courts.

Justice Malik said that the Supreme Court, in the PEMRA cases, had declared that the high court cases would continue and would not be clubbed.

But Justice Minallah said that the Supreme Court had clubbed all the cases of the high courts in the Hajj assistants case.

The ECP counsel said that cases of the same nature would have conflicting judgments in different high courts.

Justice Malik said that the apex court would decide when the conflicting decisions are challenged before the Supreme Court.

The Chief Justice asked under which constitutional authority did the Supreme Court order clubbing of cases pending in the different high courts.

The counsel then said that the injunctions of the high courts in the contempt of election commission case had also been challenged in the Supreme Court.

The court directed the ECP petitions against the injunction of the high courts should also be fixed with this case.

Subsequently, the hearing of the case was adjourned for two weeks.

Petition

The ECP, in its petition, had stated that it had issued contempt notices to PTI chief Khan as well as other party leaders, including Umar and Chaudhry in the months of August and September.

However, these notices were challenged in high courts.

The ECP noted that under Section 10 of the Election Act, 2017, it had the authority to initiate contempt proceedings being a constitutional body.

The commission further stated that Khan and Chaudhry had challenged the contempt notices before the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench, while Asad Umar had challenged it before the Sindh High Court.

Another one was challenged before the Islamabad High Court.

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The PPP requests the image of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on currency notes.

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The resolution was passed during a seminar named ‘Bhutto Reference and History’, which focused on Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

The resolution praised the Supreme Court’s admission that the PPP founder’s trial, which resulted in his execution, was unfair and urged that the federal government confer on him the title of “Quaid-e-Awam” (Leader of the People) and the highest civilian honor, Nishan-e-Pakistan.

Aside from demanding that Bhutto’s image be used on currency notes, the resolution also asked for the construction of a fitting monument in his honor and the designation of his mausoleum as a national shrine.

Furthermore, it demands for the reversal of Bhutto’s unjust death sentence and the creation of a “Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Award” for democracy activists who have given their lives for the cause.

In March, the National Assembly passed a resolution characterizing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s trial as judicial murder.

The Supreme Court released its reserved opinion on the presidential reference against the ‘controversial’ death sentence imposed on PPP founder, stating that the former prime minister was denied a “fair trial”.

A nine-judge court led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa revealed its decision on the long-pending presidential reference to determine if it can reconsider its verdict, which the PPP and jurists perceive as a historic error.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sentenced to death under former military dictator General (retired) Ziaul Haq’s administration.

The first elected prime minister of the country was charged with the murder of a political competitor, Nawab Mohammed Ahmed Qasuri, and a trial was held.

Bhutto was executed on April 4, 1979, despite requests and appeals for leniency and pity from various heads of state.

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The ‘clinics on wheels’ initiative is introduced by CM Maryam.

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Punjab is heading toward progress and prosperity, according to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Speaking at the ‘clinics on wheels’ project celebration, the chief minister emphasized how this project will improve public health and change the health system.

She emphasized that all of the essential medical facilities were included in the Clinics on Wheels scheme. There would be multiple locations for the 200 mobile clinics. Gynecology services, screenings, immunizations, and medical testing will all be offered at the clinics.

There will be ultrasound equipment available at 50 of the 200 mobile clinic locations. Up to 4 million people will be helped by this endeavor, especially in places without hospital services.

First choice for local physicians to volunteer for this project will be granted to those from 36 districts. Consideration is also being given to the lack of paramedical and nursing personnel.

The project, which was started by Nawaz Sharif and put on hold by the previous administration, is being restarted, according to the chief minister. According to her, her government’s goal is to deliver healthcare right to people’s doors.

Additionally, she revealed that eight districts in Punjab would have the construction of modern cardiology hospitals.

With Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Imran Nazir, and Health Secretary Ali Khan in attendance, CM Maryam officially launched the clinics on wheels project.

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Governor-rule attempt that is intolerable: Gandapur

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Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of KP denounced the incident on May 9 and promised that those in charge will face national scrutiny.

While eight FIRs have been filed against him in eight different districts, Gandapur stressed that none of the accusations have been validated.

Proving he was going nowhere without a fight, Gandapur issued a warning against tampering with democracy.

Any attempt to obstruct progress will be greeted with strong resistance, he warned, so avoid using disruptive tactics.

Gandapur declared, “We will seize the governor’s mansion and I will not keep quiet about the chief minister’s seat if governor law is imposed.”

With the media there to ensure transparency, the Chief Minister boldly challenged his predecessor, Pervez Khattak, to participate in a public discussion in the Kaaba.

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