Tuesday marked a significant day as two former prime ministers of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, returned to their political stomping grounds in Islamabad. They separately appeared before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), both as accused individuals, using Constitution Avenue as their backdrop.
Constitution Avenue, nestled in the heart of the capital’s Red Zone, is home to some of the nation’s most prominent institutions, including Parliament, the Prime Minister’s House, the Supreme Court, the Foreign Office, the IHC, and the ECP. The street holds significant memories for both Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, who once governed the country from this strategic location.
Nawaz Sharif, convicted and sentenced to prison in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield corruption cases in 2018, had been granted bail on humanitarian grounds by the IHC and the Lahore High Court in October 2019, leading to his departure for medical treatment in London. However, despite court orders to return, he remained in self-exile and was declared a proclaimed offender. Just two days before his long-anticipated return to Pakistan, the IHC and the accountability court granted him protective bail until October 24.
Today, accompanied by former federal minister Ishaq Dar, Nawaz Sharif is set to depart for Murree, a popular tourist resort, to hold crucial meetings with key party leaders. He will then arrive in Islamabad to face the IHC and the accountability court, where a reference related to the alleged misuse of an official gift repository awaits him.
In a separate courtroom, Imran Khan, who has been held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since August 5, appeared before the ECP. He faces contempt charges related to his use of intemperate language and contemptuous remarks against the ECP and its chief. This marked the first time Imran Khan was taken out of jail to be presented before any authority since his arrest.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had issued production orders for Imran, instructing the relevant authorities to present him from Adiala Jail before an ECP bench to frame charges in the contempt case. The ECP ordered, “Under this production order, the respondent shall be produced only before the Election Commission of Pakistan on 24.10.2023 at 10:00 am, and after the proceedings, the respondent shall be returned to jail forthwith.” The authorities were also directed to ensure his security with the assistance of the Inspectors General of Police for Islamabad and Punjab.
