Islamabad (Web Desk): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday postponed the indictment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan in a contempt case till August 2.
On Monday the electoral body had ordered the federal capital police to arrest Khan and present him before the commission in the contempt case, wherein he allegedly used "intemperate" language for the electoral body and the chief election commissioner (CEC).
The PTI chairman appeared before the ECP, resulting in the suspension of his arrest warrants.
A four-member bench, headed by ECP member Nisar Durrani, heard the case.
A member of the election commission said that on August 2, the commission would frame the charge on the PTI chairman and directed him to appear in the next hearing in person.
The electoral watchdog initiated the proceedings against the PTI chairman, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry last year.
But the PTI leaders raised the issue in various high courts, arguing that Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017 was "unconstitutional".
However, the Supreme Court (SC) earlier this year had allowed the ECP's proceedings, and last month the electioneering body framed charges.
When the trio failed to appear before the commission despite repeated summons, it issued arrest warrants for Khan and ex-party leader Chaudhary, accepting Umar’s plea to be exempted from the hearing.
During today's hearing, Khan's legal counsel Shoaib Shaheen requested that the hearing be adjourned until September.
At this, a bench member responded that instructions had been given for the document. He directed the PTI lawyer to contact the law wing.
The PTI lawyer then claimed he needed more time to gather the facts of the case since he was a new lawyer on the case and did not have the complete record yet.
"Earlier, there were other lawyers on this case; now, I am the lawyer. This is my first appearance."
After this, the ECP adjourned the hearing till August 2.