- Fawad is facing sedition charges for publicly “threatening” ECP members.
- Fawad to be presented in court after expiry of two-day remand.
- PTI leader was taken to his Lahore residence on Sunday for the recovery of communications devices.
ISLAMABAD: A police official has assured the court that former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry will be presented before it at 3pm today.
The police had to present the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader before an Islamabad court today after the expiry of his two-day physical remand that was granted on Saturday after quick hearings.
At the outset of today’s hearing, Fawad Chaudhry’s counsel Babar Awan requested Judicial Magistrate Waqas Ahmed Raja to resume the hearing at the earliest.
At this, the judge directed the police to produce the PTI leader at 11:30am after carrying out his medical examination, however, the authorities failed to present him at the given time but assured the court that he would be produced by 3pm.
When the hearing resumed after the break, Awan asked the court to give a time close to 12:30pm. While Ali Bukhari, a member of PTI’s legal team, added that even if the prosecution wants to present Fawad by 1:00pm then they should tell but it should be the correct time.
“Prosecution has been turned into a prisoner of conscience, prosecution should be awakened from its sleep,” said Awan.
At this, the judge remarked that the court staff will inform the PTI lawyers about Fawad’s appearance.
When the DSP legal appeared in court, he assured that the PTI leader will be presented in court during court hours.
At this, judge Raja asked the DSP to inform one time when the PTI leader will be presented.
“The photogrammetry test of the PTI leader has been conducted and a medical test needs to be done,” the official informed the judge.
“Fawad will be presented in court at 3:00pm,” the official said when the court pressed him further.
Fawad — who is facing sedition charges for publicly “threatening” the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a media talk — was arrested from his Lahore residence on Wednesday after a case was registered against him at the Kohsar Police Station.
He was presented before the court on Friday after the expiry of his physical remand, however, the prosecution’s request for an extension was turned down by the judicial magistrate.
Later, the decision was overturned by the session court.
On Saturday, the judicial magistrate granted the police two-day remand and directed the authorities to produce him before the court after the expiry of the remand.
The police had sought further custody pleading that they were not given enough time to probe Fawad Chaudhry and carry out a photogrammetry test. The PTI leader was taken to his Lahore residence on Sunday for the recovery of communications devices.
Fawad files for medical examination
On Sunday, Fawad submitted a petition to the Kohsar Police Station’s magistrate for his medical examination.
In his petition, the PTI leader said that the federal police are not conducting his medical test which is a violation of constitutional rights.
It added that the police had mentally and physically tortured PTI leaders Senator Azam Khan Swati and Shahbaz Gill.
“The police might do the same as they did in the past and this is why they are not conducting my medical,” he added.
The former federal information minister urged the court to take immediate notice of the violation of orders.
