A district and sessions court in Islamabad overturned the decision of denying physical remand for Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday. A judicial magistrate has remanded Fawad Chaudhry to police for two days.

Fawad Chaudhry was originally sent on a two-day physical remand on Wednesday night. However, the court refused to extend the remand on Friday and instead sent him to Adiala jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

The police challenged the court’s decision on sending Chaudhary to jail.

The PTI leader was brought to a district and sessions court in Islamabad after a long delay as his lawyers pushed for his bail in the case registered against him for ‘threatening ECP officials’.

The prosecution continued to push for a physical remand. The remand and bail petitions were heard in two separate courts.

The PTI leader, who was in Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand requested bail claiming that he has been imprisoned with ‘malafide intentions’. His head was covered with a black cloth as he was brought into the court’s premises.

The police, on the other hand, maintained that the court should provide a physical remand as the leader needs to go through a photogrammetry test in Lahore among other investigation processes. They have challenged Friday’s ruling of a judicial remand instead of physical remand. The police also argued that the two-day physical remand granted on Wednesday night was in effect only a one day remand.

Read more: Fawad Chaudhry applies for bail after being sent on 14-day judicial remand

Early on Saturday, the court ordered Fawad to be produced from jail by 12.30 pm. However, he was not brought to court until one hour after the deadline had passed.

Fawad not being allowed to meet family, claims wife

Fawad Chaudhry’s wife was present in court along with his team of lawyers and a sizable number of PTI workers. PTI has accused the police of using ‘delay tactics’. Fawad’s counsel Babar Awan even claimed that he found about the review petition regarding remand from the court premises as he appeared for bail proceedings.

Speaking to the media after the court reserved its decision, Hiba Chaudhry said that Fawad had not been allowed to meet his family despite making a request in the court. She also criticised Islamabad police for their ‘unlawful’ treatment of the PTI leader.

“Is he a terrorist?” she asked.

The arrest

He was arrested from Lahore early on Wednesday morning after Secretary ECP filed a complaint against him in Islamabad’s Kohsar police station for ‘threatening’ him. Fawad had accused the secretary of siding with the government and had said that the official’s ‘family would be pursued.’

Fawad, in reply, has maintained that as spokesman of PTI his opinions reflect the position of the party.

*This story is being continuously updated as more details come in.’