Fawad says was warned from holding pressers against Iftikhar Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Reacting to the rejection of his nomination papers, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  leader Fawad Chaudhry said there was nothing to worry about and it was merely aimed to hurt his election campaign.

The PTI spokesman released a message claiming that he had received a message to refrain from holding press conferences against former chief justice and Justice Democratic Party head Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

“I received a message to refrain from holding press conferences against Iftikhar Chaudhry or my election campaign would be affected” he said, adding that such hurdles are created in a high-stake game and there was no reason to feel dejected.

He said that Imran Khan was their leader, and anyone who raised allegations against him will receive a befitting reply. He said their struggle against Iftikhar Chaudhry and his remnants will continue.

“The decision was solely to affect my election campaign,” he said, adding that there was nothing in the verdict and it was not taken on merit.

He said that earlier the appeal against the acceptance of his nomination form was rejected, but then a suo motu notice was taken against him. He also alleged that the tribunal judge was biased and was a close aide of Iftikhar Chaudhry, and that he would approach the Supreme Judicial Council against him.

He said that the judge Ebad-ur-Rehman Lodhi was appointed by Iftikar Lodhi, which is well-known by the Rawalpindi Bar Association, and that he will lodge a complaint with the Pakistan Bar Council.

He said they respect the courts but will follow due procedure which is their legal and constitutional right. He hoped that the decision will be overturned within a few days and they will continue their election campaign.

Fawad Chaudhry suffered a setback when his nomination papers for NA-67 Jhelum were rejected. The appeal against acceptance of his nomination papers was filed by JDP’s Fakhar Abbas Kazmi alleging that Chaudhry did not pay agricultural tax and that his name on computerised national identity card was Fawad Ahmed.

The PTI spokesperson had a couple of days ago accused Iftikhar Chuadhry of serving the agenda of the Sharif family after the latter challenged Imran Khan’s nomination papers.

“پیغام آیا کہ افتخار چوہدری کے خلاف پریس کانفرنس کرنا بند کردو ورنہ تمہارا الیکشن متاثر ہوگا، دوستوں سے کہنا چاہتا ہوں کہ گھبرانے کی کوئی بات نہیں, میرے لیڈر عمران خان کے خلاف کوئی بھی غلط بات کرے گا تو اسکو میری طرف سے جواب ضرور آئے گا”@fawadchaudhry مرکزی سیکریٹری اطلاعات pic.twitter.com/SpNXwdfLCU

— Azhar Laghari (@AzharLaghariPTI) June 27, 2018