ISLAMABAD: A local court on Tuesday said that it would hear the arguments of all the parties on the post-arrest bail plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry on February 2.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gillani was hearing Fawad’s plea seeking release on bail in the sedition case filed against him on the complaint of ECP Secretary Omar Hameed.
The PTI leader — who is facing sedition charges for publicly “threatening” the members of the electoral body in a media talk — was arrested from his Lahore residence on January 25, after a case was registered against him at the Kohsar Police Station.
Fawad is currently in Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
Court turns down ECP’s request
The court turned down Election Commission’s request for the adjournment of hearing till February 2.
During the hearing, the lawyer representing the electoral body requested the court to grant him time till Thursday (February 2) to prepare arguments on the bail plea.
ECP’s lawyer, Saad Hassan also sought the copies of Fawad’s bail plea.
“I want to appear in the court after reading the bail plea’s copy,” he said.
At this, Fawad’s lawyer Babar Awan raised an objection that Hassan didn’t need to prepare as he had given the arguments earlier as well.
The court sought clarification from the Hassan on Awan’s objection, to which the former responded that he had given arguments on the matter of physical remand and not on the bail plea.
“Prosecution should give arguments today while the ECP can give the arguments tomorrow,” Awan maintained.
However, the court disregarded Awan’s suggestion and remarked:
“No, [the court] will hear everyone’s arguments on the bail plea together.”
After this, the court adjourned the hearing till Thursday 2:15pm.
The FIR
An FIR (No 69/23) was registered against the PTI leader under sections 153-A, 506, 505 and 124-A of PPC on the complaint of Secretary ECP Omar Hamid Khan, saying the accused used threatening language against the commission and its members.
Speaking to the media and people, the accused threatened the ECP members and their families, the FIR stated.
The FIR indicates that Fawad had said the status of the ECP had been reduced to that of a ‘Munshi’ ( a clerk or a personal assistant).
The FIR, quoting Fawad, said those who become part of the caretaker government would be pursued until they were punished. He also said the people sitting in the government would be chased to their homes.
