ECP contempt: IHC deems Fawad Chaudhry’s jail trial null and invalid

Judge Saman Riffat Imtiaz of the high court bench ruled that the Chief Election Commissioner’s and the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) complaint against Fawad Chaudhry was filed in contempt.

In the electoral commission contempt case, the judge threw out the entire jail trial.

Adiala jail’s indictment and the jail trial order in the ECP contempt case were both revoked by the court during its consideration of Fawad Chaudhry’s plea.

Because of the high court’s ruling, the charge sheet alleging the electoral commission’s contempt will be nullified.

Recall that on January 3, 2024, Fawad Chaudhry, the founder of the PTI and a former federal minister, was indicted in the ECP contempt case.

In the course of the hearing, an indictment was read aloud to the accused, formally charging them.

For allegedly using “intemperate” language against the Chief Election Commissioner and the electoral watchdog, the ECP sent summons to the PTI founder and other individuals in August 2022.