PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry arrested after evading police for 12 hours

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry was finally apprehended by the police as he emerged from the Supreme Court building, where he had sought refuge for over 12 hours in an attempt to evade his impending arrest.

Chaudhry had arrived at the court early Wednesday morning, knowing that law enforcement authorities were waiting to detain him. Despite remaining inside the apex court throughout the day, he was eventually taken into custody late in the evening.

Chaudhry had previously submitted an application for pre-arrest bail to the Supreme Court, citing concerns about a possible arrest following the recent apprehension of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

In the application, it was argued that there was a genuine risk of Chaudhry being taken into custody as well. In a bid to strengthen his case, the PTI leader also filed a civil miscellaneous petition along with Imran Khan's appeal, stating that he had obtained protective bail from the High Court until May 12.

During the course of Chaudhry's stay in the Supreme Court building, police officials maintained a presence outside, patiently awaiting his departure. Upon finally exiting the premises at approximately 11:30 pm, Chaudhry was promptly arrested by the waiting officers.

Also read: PTI leader Asad Umar arrested from IHC premises

Express News reported that police personnel had approached him in the apex court’s press room, urging him to comply with the legal proceedings. In response, Chaudhry presented the police with the bail order issued by the high court, attempting to justify his continued presence within the Supreme Court building.

Following his arrest, Fawad Chaudhry expressed his intentions to approach the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, hoping that the court would uphold its previous decision regarding his protective bail. The outcome of this legal recourse remains uncertain at this time.

Earlier in the day, PTI secretary general Asad Umar was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Umar was reportedly arrested by the Islamabad police from the gate near the IHC’s writ branch.

In a startling development on Tuesday, PTI chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case from the premises of the IHC, where he was present for two hearings.

This move was followed by raids at the homes of and arrests of PTI leaders, including former Punjab governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema.

Cheema was arrested during the wee hours of Wednesday morning in a raid at his house by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab.

Meanwhile, senior party leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has rejected reports of his arrest, saying that all kinds of tactics are being used to create panic and spread misinformation.

“I have not yet been arrested,” Qureshi said in a tweet from his verified Twitter account.

“All kinds of tactics are being used to spread misinformation and create terror and panic among our party’s supporters,” he added. “I warn you, this is a big mistake! The Pakistani nation will not sit idle in their homes. No fear!”