WEB DESK
A district and sessions court of Islamabad Wednesday approved bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry.
The bail was approved with surety bonds worth Rs 20,000.
He is facing sedition charges after he threatened members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Judge Faizan Gillani approved Fawad’s bail on condition that he would not use foul language against the ECP members.
The court rejected pleas of ECP’s counsel and prosecutor for turning down PTI leader’s bail plea.
Judge remarked that the parliamentarians should refrain from giving provocative statements.
Talking to reporters outside the court, Fawad’s wife Hiba Chaudhry thanked PTI and its supporters for standing by her in difficult times.
The case
A case had been registered against Fawad Chaudhry in Islamabad’s Kohsar police station on the application of ECP secretary; who blamed PTI leader for talking against the commission and chief election commissioner.
Fawad Chaudhry was arrested by police from Lahore during the wee hours of January 25 for threatening CEC.
The first information report (FIR) was filed against him for his speech where he allegedly stated that the status of the ECP is the same as a ‘secretary’ and the ‘chief election commissioner signs documents like a clerk’.
The former minister was arrested shortly after he held a press conference in Lahore, where he threatened the members of the ECP and their families with repercussions if “those involved in the May 25 incident,” were appointed (in Punjab caretaker setup) or retained in their positions.
He also strongly criticized the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as Punjab’s caretaker chief minister and stated that “those who are being appointed as the caretaker of [Punjab] government will be followed until they are punished”.
He also reported to have lodged a formal complaint with the ECP against the appointment of those directly involved in the crackdown in Punjab.
The complaint invokes sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
