LAHORE, Jan 25 (FD): Despite Lahore High Court’s (LHC) orders to present Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry before it, the authorities took him to Islamabad after obtaining his transitory remand from a local court.
The former federal minister was arrested from his residence in the wee hours today on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) complaint, after he condemned the government for hashing out what he called a conspiracy with the electoral body to arrest PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
The high court had ordered the authorities to present Fawad before it by 1:30pm on his cousin’s plea for the “recovery” of the former federal minister. However, the time was later extended to 2:00pm.
Fawad’s cousin, Nabeel Shehzad, filed a habeas corpus plea in the high court after the PTI leader was arrested from his home. A sedition case was filed against him in Islamabad after he publicly “threatened” the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and warned them that they would have to “payback”.
Shehzad in his plea urged the court to “recover” Fawad and stop any illegal action against the PTI leader.
The petitioner has also urged the court to hold a hearing of the case today which was accepted.
Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the plea and ordered the authorities to present the PTI leader before the court.
Interestingly, the orders were issued after a local court of Lahore had approved Fawad’s transitory remand.
Lahore court approves Fawad’s transitory remand
Earlier, a local court in Lahore approved the transitory remand of Fawad after he was presented before the court by Islamabad Police. Fawad was presented before the court of judicial magistrate Rana Mudassir in Lahore’s Cantt.
At the outset of the hearing, the prosecution told the judge that a case had been registered against Fawad, and urged the court to approve his transitory remand.
At this, Fawad’s lawyer argued that it was just a four hours travel from Lahore to Islamabad so there was no need for the transitory remand.
“They [police] should just present him [before a court] in Islamabad,” said Fawad’s lawyer. The counsel claimed that the police wanted to get the transitory remand so they could take his client somewhere else.
The counsel also urged the judge to order the police to uncuff his client’s hands. Instead of both hands only one should be handcuffed, he added.
At this, the judge remarked that the lawyer was wasting the court’s time over frivolous arguments.
Fawad’s lawyer also told the magistrate that a habeas corpus plea was pending before a high court and till that is decided his client’s transitory remand should not be approved.
The magistrate then adjourned the hearing for a few minutes.
Proud of the case: Fawad
Speaking to the media at the court, Fawad said that he is “proud” of the case that has been registered against him.
“Nelson Mandela also faced a similar case. It is being said that I committed treason,” he said.
The PTI leader said that he is a former federal minister and a Supreme Court lawyer therefore he should be treated respectfully.
“The way I was arrested was not appropriate,” he said, adding that he would have appeared before the police had they called him.
He went on to say that the entire country is saying what he said about the ECP.
The case
The Islamabad police have confirmed the arrest. A case against Chaudhary was registered last night at the Kohsar police station in Islamabad on the complaint of Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Omer Hamid Khan. The first information report (FIR) was lodged against him for using threatening language against the ECP and its members.
