The Supreme Court on Tuesday told the Election Commission to continue contempt proeceedings against Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry.

PTI leader Asad Umar had questioned the ECP’s power to initiate contempt proceedings agains the PTI chief, since it is ‘neither a court or a tribunal’.

A 3-member bench headed by the chief justice heard the petition, ruling that the ECP should conitnue proceedings.

The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry for using ‘intemperate’ language against the chief election commissioner. However, the PTI leaders had challenged the proceedings in high courts.

The ECP had requested that all such petitions in high courts be consolidated. However, PTI’s counsel argued that cases can not be consolidated just to accommodate one party.

The court observed that the Lahore High Court had stopped the election commission from reaching a final verdict, not from continuing the contempt proceedings. The court said that the high courts should resolve the PTI leaders’ petitions quickly so the proceedings in the election commission can continue.