ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan today issued notices to PTI chairman Imran Khan, and other party leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry on a petition of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
A three-member bench of the apex court including Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ayesha A Malik, and Justice Athar Minallah heard the case.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had filed a petition in the SC seeking merger of all cases filed by PTI leaders against the body in different high courts in the backdrop of contempt notices issued to them.
The SC bench remarked that the ECP has requested the court to transfer the cases in different high courts with a view that the ECP officials would prepare for local and general elections or pursue cases in different courts.
CJP said the commission also presented a judicial precedent of merging cases with the order of the SC. The commission is referencing Article 186A of the Constitution for the purpose, he added.
The ECP counsel responded that the apex court ordered the consolidation of income tax cases pending in various high courts in 1999.
Justice Ayesha Malik said in PEMRA case, the SC had declared that the cases pending in high courts would not be clubbed at one court.
Meanwhile, Justice Athar Minallah said that the apex court had clubbed all the cases of the high courts in Hajj assistance case.
CJP adjourned the case for two weeks by saying under which constitutional authority did the Supreme Court order clubbing of cases.
