The Lahore High Court has summoned the IGs of Punjab and Islamabad while issuing order to immediately produce PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry before it, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The court on Wednesday heard the petition filed against the illegal confinement of Fawad Chaudhry. 

At the start of the hearing, the Lahore High Court ordered to produce the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader before it at 1:30pm today. 

But when the hearing was resumed, Fawad could not be produced. The court expressed its annoyance on the non-compliance of its order and asked the authorities to produce Fawad wherever he was. 

LHC Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh was conducting the hearing on a plea filed by Nabeel Shehzad against the arrest of Fawad Chaudhry.

PTI lawyer Azhar Siddique told the court that they had just learnt that Fawad was being taken to Islamabad.

“The orders that I give, I make sure they are implemented,” Justice Sheikh said. “Even if he [Fawad] has reached Islamabad, bring him back and present him before the court.”

In his response, the AAG said that he would ensure that the court’s orders were executed and sought some time. The court adjourned hearing till 2pm.

However, when the proceedings resumed at 2pm, AAG Yaqub said that he was not in the position to tell where Fawad was.

Subsequently, the hearing was again adjourned till 3pm.

But when, the court resumed hearing at 3pm, still Fawad could not be produced before the court. 

The PTI lawyer told the court that police have taken Fawad to Islamabad.

The judge expressed his anger and summoned Punjab and Islamabad’s IGs. 

After that, the court adjourned the hearing till 6pm today. 

Through his application filed on Wednesday, the applicant pleaded with the court to declare the PTI leader’s arrest as illegal.

The petitioner also prayed the court to hear his plea today.

LHC Registrar Office forwarded the petition to the chief justice for fixing it for hearing.

The application made the Punjab government, provincial police officer, counter-terrorism department, deputy inspector general of police (operation) and station house officer of Defence respondents in the case.

The petition stated that the PTI leader was apprehended “illegally, unconstitutionally and without legal authority” and demanded that police officials be directed to recover Fawad from the “illegal and unlawful confinement” and produce him before the high court.

 

Reporter Malik Ashraf