Dawn.com |
Shakeel Qarar |
Rana Bilal Published January 25, 2023 Updated 37 minutes ago
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PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry outside Lahore Cantt court on Wednesday. — DawnNewsTV
Police officials escort the arrested leader of opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry (C) to present him before a court in Lahore on January 25, 2023. —Arif Ali/ AFP
The photo shows PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry at the Lahore Services Hospital on Wednesday. — DawnNewsTV
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry outside Lahore Cantt court on Wednesday. — DawnNewsTV
Police officials escort the arrested leader of opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry (C) to present him before a court in Lahore on January 25, 2023. —Arif Ali/ AFP
The photo shows PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry at the Lahore Services Hospital on Wednesday. — DawnNewsTV
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry outside Lahore Cantt court on Wednesday. — DawnNewsTV
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Punjab Advocate General (AAG) Chaudhry Muhammad Jawad Yaqub on Wednesday told the Lahore High Court (LHC) that PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry — who was arrested earlier today for “inciting violence against a constitutional institution” — was in the custody of the Islamabad police.
The revelation was made as LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh took up a petition challenging Fawad’s arrest.
Key developments:
- Fawad arrested from outside his residence early Wednesday morning
- FIR registered by ECP official at Islamabad’s Kohsar police station for “inciting violence against a constitutional institution”
- Lahore Cantt court allows police to take Fawad to Islamabad
- Fawad says if criticism is rebellion then the entire nation should rebel
- LHC directs police to present Fawad in court
- Fawad’s wife calls on CJP to take suo motu notice of arrest
- Imran to address press conference at 5pm
- LHC summons IGs of Punjab and Islamabad to be in court with Fawad by 6pm
- Punjab government tells LHC Fawad is in the custody of Islamabad police
The former federal minister was taken into custody early Wednesday morning after an FIR against him was registered at Islamabad’s Kohsar police station by an official of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for “threatening” the electoral body’s members and their families.
According to Fawad’s brother, the former federal minister was “taken away” in four cars that did not have any number plates at 5:30am. Faisal Chaudhry said that the family was unaware of Fawad’s location at the time.
“We are also not being given any details of the FIR registered against him,” he said. Faisal, who is also a prominent lawyer, termed his brother’s arrest “illegal” and asserted that he will fight this battle in court.
Later, the PTI leader was brought to Lahore’s Cantt court where the judicial magistrate granted police Fawad’s transit remand.
Separately, a petition was filed in the LHC by Fawad’s cousin Nabeel Shahzad against the arrest. The application — a copy of which is available with
Dawn.com — named the Punjab government, provincial police officer, counter-terrorism department, deputy inspector general of police (operation) and station house officer of Defence A as respondents in the case.
It said that the PTI leader was apprehended “illegally, unconstitutionally and without legal authority” and demanded that police officials should be directed to recover Fawad from the “illegal and unlawful confinement” and produce him before the high court.
At the outset of the hearing today, Justice Sheikh instructed the police to present Fawad in court by 1:30pm.
However, when the proceedings resumed at 2pm, AAG Yaqub said that he was not in the position to tell where Fawad was.
On the other hand, PTI lawyer Azhar Siddique told the court that they had just learnt that Fawad was being taken to Islamabad.
“The orders that I give, I make sure they are implemented,” Justice Sheikh said here. “Even if he [Fawad] has reached Islamabad, bring him back and present him before the court.”
In his response, the AAG said that he will ensure that the court’s orders were executed and sought some time.
Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned for 30 minutes.
When it resumed, the judge inquired: “Where is Fawad?”
The AAG replied that Fawad was in the custody of the Islamabad police after which Justice Sheikh summoned the inspector generals of Islamabad and Punjab to court.
“The IGs of Islamabad and Punjab should appear in the court by 6pm,” he said and instructed the LHC registrar to immediately communicate the orders to them.
PTI claims Fawad being taken to Islamabad
Meanwhile, in a tweet, PTI leader Hammad Azhar claimed that Fawad was being transported to Islamabad via the motorway “in clear defiance of the high court’s orders”.