ISLAMABAD: Accusing the government and state institutions of violating the Constitution, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior vice president Dr Shireen Mazari on Monday urged the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) to take notice of abuse of power by those at the helm.

Insisting that PTI senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry didn’t commit sedition, Ms Mazari said in a statement that when the government and state institutions become complicit in terrorising critics and political leaders and violating the Constitution, fundamental rights and laws, then the nation looked to the CJP to take suo motu action.

“Legally, he [Fawad] didn’t commit sedition, so why no suo motu by apex court on abuse of state power? The way his judicial remand was reverted to physical remand and he was handed back to police shows clear mala fide intent to inflict custodial torture on him. Munshis and their string pullers [are] ruthless,” Ms Mazari maintained.

Fawad Chaudhry was taken into custody on Jan 25 after a first information report against him was registered at Islamabad’s Kohsar police station on a complaint by the ECP secretary for allegedly threatening the commission’s members and their families in a speech.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2023