ISLAMABAD: A local court on Tuesday rejected the Election Commission of Pakistan’s request to adjourn the hearing of the post-arrest bail application of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry in the alleged inciting violence case against a constitutional institution, the ECP till February 2 and sought arguments from both parties on Wednesday (today).

Additional District and Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gillani, while hearing Chaudhry’s plea, sought arguments from the defence and prosecution and rejected the ECP’s counsel’s request to adjourn the hearing till February 2.

It is pertinent to be mentioned here that Chaudhry was arrested from Lahore on January 25. Police registered a case against the PTI leader at Kohsar police station on the complaint of Secretary of the ECP Umar Hameed Khan.

An first information report (FIR) was registered under 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).

The PTI leader’s counsel filed a post-arrest bail application before the court after he was sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand.

During the hearing, the ECP lawyer, Saad Hassan requested the court to grant him time till February 2 to prepare arguments on the bail plea and sought copies of the application.

Chaudhry’s lawyer Babar Awan, while objecting to the ECP’s request said that he did not need to prepare as he had earlier given arguments on the matter. At this, the ECP’s lawyer said that he had given an argument regarding the physical remand of the accused and not on the bail application.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023