Election Commission of Pakistan issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Fawad Chaudhry in contempt case

ISLAMABAD, July 6, (SABAH): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrant for ex-PTI leader and former federal minister for information and broadcasting, Fawad Chaudhry in ECP contempt case while this action was prompted by his absence from the hearing of the case.

The hearing was conducted by a five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr. Sikandar Sultan Raja and comprising Member ECP Sindh Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Member ECP Balochistan Shah Muhammad Jatoi, Member ECP Punjab Babar Hassan Bharwana and Member ECP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan. The ECP also ordered to implement on non-bailable arrest warrant and adjourned hearing of the case till July 20.

During the hearing, Fawad Chaudhry’s assistant counsel appeared before the ECP and requested it to adjourn the case and a new date be issued. He argued before the ECP that the commission’s lawyer would present their arguments in the Islamabad High Court, and a verdict was expected in a day or two. Therefore, they requested an adjournment of the case.

Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan inquired whether Fawad Chaudhry has come today or not? The lawyer replied that Fawad Chaudhry has not come himself nor he had made any contact with him.

To this, Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan said that now only one legal way was left that his non-bailable arrest warrants be issued while officials of Islamabad Police informed the bench that they had visited Fawad Chaudhry’s residence to execute the warrant. However, they only encountered his brother, Faisal Chaudhry, who claimed that Fawad was not present and referred to the charges against him as political in nature.

Subsequently, the ECP dismissed the appeal made by Fawad’s assistant lawyer and issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former PTI leader. The hearing was adjourned until July 20.