ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district and sessions court on Sunday ordered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry’s medical report to be submitted amid fears of custodial torture.
The police were granted a further two-day physical remand of the former minister on Saturday, reversing the earlier decision of a judicial magistrate, who had rejected the police plea and sent him on judicial remand to Adiala Jail.
Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan had penned a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial seeking his intervention for the protection of “fundamental rights” in Fawad’s case.
Citing examples of party leaders Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill, he had expressed his apprehensions that Fawad would be subjected to the same custodial in violation of Articles 9, 10A, and 14 — which pertain to the right to a fair trial, freedom of speech, and inviolability of the dignity of a human being.
He had requested the top judge to ensure that the honour and dignity of Fawad were not violated.
A request had also been filed with the concerned lower court in the capital expressing similar reservations by Fawad’s lawyers requesting his medical examination.
The petition stated that despite court orders, the PTI leader’s medical exam was not conducted, which it maintained was “very important” keeping in view that “there are fears that Fawad Chaudhry will be subjected to torture”.
Upon the request, Judicial Magistrate Waqas Ahmed Raja ordered Kohsar police station SHO to submit the former minister’s medical report by tomorrow (Monday).
The court also directed the staff to deliver the orders to the concerned SHO on Sunday.
Earlier, the PTI chief had slammed the government for “waging political vendettas” .
“Taking Fawad to court handcuffed [with his] face covered like a terrorist shows the low and vindictive levels the imported government and state have reached,” he had said likening Fawad’s case to those of Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill.
“The law of the jungle now prevails where might is right,” Imran had lamented after saying that there was “no doubt” Pakistan had become a “banana republic”.
Fawad was arrested from Lahore on Wednesday for allegedly “inciting violence” against the Election Commission of Pakistan members and the CEC.
An FIR was registered against the PTI leader at the Kohsar police station in Islamabad. An Islamabad court then handed Fawad over to the police on a two-day physical remand.
As the remand ended on Friday, Fawad was produced before Judicial Magistrate Raja who had extended his physical remand by another two days.
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