Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Interior and Legal Affairs Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday said that incumbent government did not believe in political revenge and victimization but those threatening the officials of constitutional bodies would have to face legal action.
Addressing a press conference along with PML-N leader Abid Sher Ali, the SAPM said that Islamabad police registered the First Information Report (FIR) against Fawad Chaudhry following the application of Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He said that PTI leader used objectionable language and even threatened the head of ECP, its members, officials and even their families in his interaction with media at Lahore.
He said that ECP was a constitutional body and it was sheer violation as per Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) to threaten such bodies or their officials. He said that Chief Election Commissioner was appointed by PTI after consultation process and Fawad Chaudhry participated in the process.
He said there could not be dual standard in provision of justice as one of the PML-N Senator Nihal Hashmi faced imprisonment for six months and was disqualified from seat of Senate for using objectionable language in past.
The SAPM said that law should take its course if anyone had been found involved in threatening the institutions and no dual standard would be adopted in such cases.
During the press conference, two video clips were also screened in which Fawad Chaudhry was threatening ECP officials and their families of dire consequences over appointment of Caretaker Chief Minister in Punjab.
After the appointment of PTI nominee Hassan Askari as Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab at the time of last general elections in 2018, he said that PML-N did not use any such language against the constitutional body or anyone else.
Attaullah Tarar said that PML-N leadership including Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif, Marriyum Nawaz had to face imprisonment in fake cases while other leadership including Nihal Hashmi, Daniyal Aziz and Talal Chaudhry were disqualified as Senator and contesting election in cases with less severe case as that of Fawad Chaudhry.
Special Assistant said there should be dual standard and legal action should be taken without any discrimination. He said that judiciary would have to review as how one can be exempted after threatening the officials of constitutional bodies.
Attalullah Tarar cited a case of Wazirabad in which police kept an accused Ahsan’s habeas corpus for more than two months and a court did not intervene in it. He said that arrest of Fawad Chaudhry should be dealt as per law instead of creating any poetical hype.
The special assistant said that bail applications of PML-N leaders had been kept pending in past for years but it seemed astonishing to see activism in this case. PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry would have to tender unconditional apology and the myth about `untouchable PTI leaders’ would be eliminated through legal action.
He said that former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar legalized the offshore companies of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and declared him `Sadiq and Ameen’ which was totally against the spirit of justice. He said that Imran Khan had been found guilty in foreign funding and Toshakhana cases and he should be imprisoned in cypher case propaganda and disqualified in for concealing his alleged daughter’s name.
Attaullah Tarar said that PTI had no political struggle and it came into power through maneuvering against the wishes of public. He said that FIR against Fawad Chaudhry invoked different sections including 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code and he would be produced in court in Islamabad for action as per law.
Senior Leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Abid Sher Ali said that former Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain would have to face the music on hurling threats to state institutions and challenging the writ of the law.
He said the erstwhile practice of abusing state functionaries and desecrating state institutions would not work anymore as the government had decided to enforce writ of law with full force. Fawad Chaudhary would be dealt with as per law of the land as he had threatened the institutions, he added.
Vehemently brushing aside, the impression about political victimization of Fawad, he said Fawad had committed violation of law brazenly and he must not be spared. A person attacking state institutions would straight land in jail, irrespective of his position or status.
He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had destroyed the economy and pushed the country to the brink of default. Imran also promoted the culture of abusing opponents, he added.
PTI government led by Usman Buzdar had mercilessly looted the province through their front women Farah Gogi and others, he said, adding that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on flimsy grounds.
Castigating Imran Khan he said Imran led government laid economic landmines to malign image of successors. He was ousted from the government to save the country from any disaster.
Imran government victimized Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leadership by framing fake cases against them.
He said Imran Khan and his coalition partners themselves dissolved the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.