PTI chief Imran Khan launched a fresh tirade against state institutions, including the Election Commission, following the arrest of party stalwart Fawad Chaudhry in a sedition case.
Addressing his supporters via live telecast, Imran asked his supporters to stand with justice, saying those who were in power had sent the country to the brink.
He warned those at the helm that his followers could take to the streets for a jihad, explaining in the same breath that jihad meant a ‘struggle against tyranny and injustice’.
Turning his guns towards ECP, Imran asked them to explain as to what made the basis of their decision to choose Mohsin Naqvi and reject other nominees for caretaker Punjab CM.
This decision, the PTI chief maintained, shows that the electoral authority seems ‘in no mood’ to conduct elections.
“The first and foremost responsibility of Election Commission is to hold free and fair elections,” he added.
According to Imran, Naqvi has been brought in as part of a plan to silence him, as he raised questions on the impartiality of the caretaker setup ahead of elections in the province.
He also accused the caretaker CM and PML-N government of attempting to sabotage the probe into the Wazirabad attack in November last year.
Nonetheless, the ex-premier pinned his hopes to the judiciary, saying he expected justice from courts.
Earlier today, the Lahore High Court dismissed a plea filed against Fawad’s ‘illegal detainment’, a day after his arrest for threats aimed at the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governors, and Election Commission.
During the hearing, Inspector General of Punjab Police apprised the court that the accused was currently under the custody of Islamabad police.
LHC asked the counsel representing the former information minister to approach Islamabad High Court to pursue the matter.
The court had earlier ordered police to produce Fawad in the court today, and summoned the Islamabad and Punjab inspector generals (IGs) of police.
The party stalwart was taken into custody after his statement that the governors will be put on trial under Article 6 for their failure to announce a date for the elections as enshrined in the Constitution, and that those at the helm will be given an exemplary punishment and chased to their homes for their doing.
A case against the PTI leader was registered on Jan 24 at the Kohsar police station on the complaint of the secretary ECP, Omer Hamid Khan. The FIR lodged in this regard stated that Fawad hurled verbal threats at the Commission and its members in a public speech to media last night.
