Fawad Chaudhry was detained for inciting violence against Pakistan Election Commission personnel.
Islamabad— A senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member and former federal minister was detained for sedition, exacerbating the political turmoil.
On Wednesday morning, PTI vice president Fawad Chaudhry was detained for instigating violence against Election Commission of Pakistan personnel (ECP).
Since media tycoon Mohsin Naqvi became interim Punjab chief minister, PTI, backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has criticized the electoral board.
Khan, whose PTI-led alliance ruled Punjab, dissolved the provincial legislature this month. The party disbanded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly four days later.
Khan has been calling for early general elections in Pakistan since April last year, when he was ousted by a parliamentary vote of confidence.
If a provincial legislature dissolves without forming an interim administration, Pakistan’s constitution requires new elections within three months.
While dissolving the two assemblies, PTI hoped to hold national and provincial elections together, as Pakistan has done historically.
The ECP appointed Naqvi provisional Punjab leader instead of holding new elections. PTI leaders publicly criticized the poll panel.
The ECP acts like a clerk. “Somebody from the government contacts ECP and issues an order, and ECP commissioner, like a clerk, merely signs the order and passes it on,” Chaudhry said during a news conference outside Khan’s Lahore mansion on Tuesday.
“Why are you here if you’re weak? “Go sit in your homes,” he shouted, adding that his party will “keep chasing” and “punish” such officials.
