Fawad boycotts Feb 8 polls over alleged victimisation

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry Monday announced a boycott of the upcoming general elections, scheduled to be held on February 8.

In a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the politician — who was contesting for the National Assembly seats from Jehlum — lamented that the electoral body has "miserably" failed to perform its duties with regard to conducting the polls.

The letter was shared by his brother and lawyer Faisal Chaudhry on X — formerly Twitter, stating that "Fawad and his group" have boycotted the "fake elections". 

The politician, in the letter, wrote about the political victimisation being meted out, announcing that he and his group would do a "complete boycott" of the elections.

Fawad, who filed nomination papers for the NA-60 and NA-61 seats from Jehlum, stated: "I was arrested to withdraw from the election. Our workers were threatened and arrested."

He added: "Our nomination papers were rejected without justification."

In the letter to ECP, he also complained about his brother, Faisal Chaudhry, being named his co-accused in the National Accountability Bureau case, despite his papers being cleared to contest elections.

The politico further questioned the meaning of the upcoming elections in a situation where, according to him, there is "no choice".

Fawad has been behind bars since November last year after he was arrested from his residence on corruption charges.

NAB had taken Fawad into custody on December 16 in a corruption case. The anti-graft body's Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt had signed an arrest warrant for Fawad after which he was taken into custody from Adiala jail — where he was incarcerated in the fraud case.

On December 20, the NAB got a 10-day physical remand of the former federal minister. After completion of the remand, Fawad was presented before the court on December 30.

During the proceedings, NAB Prosecutor Irfan Bhola told the court that the former PTI leader was under interrogation and was divulging details related to alleged irregularities. Later, the court extended his physical remand for another six days.   

The court then granted a four-day extension in his physical remand in a corruption case related to development projects in Jhelum.

Earlier this month, he was also indicted in a contempt case against the electoral body and the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

According to the ECP notice, politico faced the charges of passing unparliamentary, intemperate, and contemptuous remarks against the ECP on various occasions.