LAHORE: The head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry, was brought before the Cantt court in Lahore a few hours after he had apparently been taken into custody in the early hours of Wednesday in the provincial capital of Islamabad by the Kohsar police station.
On the basis of the allegation of Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Umar Hameed, a case was opened against Fawad at Kohsar Police Station.
According to reports, the PTI leader would be moved today from Lahore to Islamabad on a transit remand.
The PTI politician has been accused of breaking sections 506 of the Criminal Intimidation Act, 505 of the Statements Contributing to Public Mischief Act, and 153-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (sedition).
Charges under sections 124-A and 153-A are not subject to bail, however charges under sections 505 and 506 of the PPC are.
According to the FIR, Fawad gave a speech outside Imran Khan’s Lahore home in which he warned the ECP, its members, and their families.
The FIR states that Chaudhary said the election commission was reduced to the position of a “Munshi [clerk]”.
The arrest occurs only a few hours after Fawad threatened to take revenge on ECP members, their families, and others if “those involved in the 25th May incident – police crackdown to block PTI expedition to Islamabad – were appointed or remain appointed.”
According to Fawad, individuals who were actively involved in the suppression of the PTI protest on May 25 should not be appointed in Punjab. We have officially appealed to the Election Commission about this.The first information report (FIR) language states that Fawad stated in a speech a day earlier that the ECP has the same standing as a “secretary.” He had also said that “the chief election commissioner signs papers like a clerk.”
