Islamabad, Jan 3: In a contempt case, Pakistan‘s highest electoral body on Wednesday indicted former prime minister Imran Khan, who is currently in jail, and his former information minister, Fawad Chaudhry. Chaudhry, a prominent former member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), and Khan, 71, are the party’s founding chairman and founder. In 2022, the two leaders were charged with using derogatory language directed at the Pakistani Election Commission (ECP) and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The proceedings were held at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Khan and Chaudhry are both detained on separate charges, by a four-member panel of the ECP.The chief election commissioner and the electoral body were allegedly insulted by the two leaders, who were indicted for their crimes. Both refuted the accusations listed in the charge sheet while they were present in the courtroom when the charges were read. The panel postponed the contempt case hearing until January 16 following the indictment. The case was initially being heard in the ECP building, but the police refused to indict Khan for security reasons. As a result, the commission was forced to move the hearing to the Adiala Jail on December 6. The indictment follows several delays in the case. In April 2022, Khan was removed from office by a vote of no confidence. Over 150 cases have been filed against him since he was removed from office.
