Pakistan: Fawad Chaudhry sent to six-day physical remand in graft case

Islamabad: An accountability court in Islamabad approved the six-day physical remand of former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday in a case of alleged misappropriation in construction projects in Jhelum, Geo News reported.
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir conducted the hearing of the case on Saturday. Fawad was brought to the court after the completion of his 10-day physical remand.
The court remarked that the investigation of the case should be completed while Fawad should also be allowed to meet his lawyers. The former minister will be presented before the court on January 5, 2024.
Fawad was taken into custody earlier this month by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the corruption case.
NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt had signed an arrest warrant for apprehending the politician after which he was taken into custody from Adiala jail -- where he was incarcerated in a separate fraud case, Geo News reported.
The former minister's lawyer and brother, Faisal Chaudhry, and NAB Prosecutor Sohail Arif were also present in the courtroom.
Fawad, while presenting his arguments, told the court that four allegations were levelled against him.
"I was accused of using my influence while being a minister. The project was of the PSDP (Public Sector Development Programmes) and its approval was given," he said. "It was my duty to convey the demands of my area's residents to the government. If I don't work for the people of my constituency then what's the point of being in politics".
Presenting his arguments, the NAB prosecutor said that they had asked for a 14-day physical remand but were given only 10 days.
"Banking records, indicating suspicions of irregularities, have been sought. The contractor has also been summoned on January 2," he added.
Arif said that the NAB wants to further investigate Fawad while requesting a 10-day extension in the former information minister's physical remand.
"Fawad Chaudhry's 10-day physical remand should be given to complete the investigation," said the NAB prosecutor, adding that they have also summoned two more people in connection with the construction projects.
The politician was initially arrested from his Islamabad residence on November 4 after a complaint was filed against him in Islamabad's Aabpara Police Station for taking a 5 million Pakisatani Rupess (PKR) bribe in exchange for a job, according to Geo News.
In January, Fawad was taken into custody from his residence after he publicly "threatened" the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a media talk outside former PTI chief Imran Khan's residence in Zaman Park. However, the then-coalition government said it had no hand in the politician's arrest.
The politician, in June this year, issued an apology to the electoral watchdog for allegedly using "intemperate" language targeting the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.
Fawad was also among the thousands of party workers and leaders who were arrested during the crackdown on the PTI since the May 9 riots for the party's alleged involvement in the violence that claimed at least eight lives and injured dozens of others.
In June, the former minister was among the PTI leaders who were present during the launching ceremony of the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), which is headed by Khan's close political aide Jahangir Tareen, Geo News reported.