A district and sessions court in Islamabad has issued a bailable arrest warrant for PTI leader Shehbaz Gul in a sedition case filed on charges of inciting mutiny within the army.
The court, while issuing the warrant, asked the PTI leaders to ensure their attendance at the next hearing and could get bail on a surety bond of Rs 200,000. The hearing of the case was adjourned till January 6.
During the hearing, a junior lawyer requested the court to exempt Gill from today’s appearance.
On this, Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that the PTI leader took a non-serious attitude in the case.
Where is Gul’s lawyer Shahryar Tariq? Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas supra inquired.
The junior lawyer told the court that Tariq is busy in the High Court and will reach in some time.
At this point, the special prosecutor intervened and told the judge that Gill’s plea was a joke with the court. He also requested the court to issue a warrant for the PTI leader.
Gill’s lawyer, Tariq, told the judge that Gill’s illness was discovered during physical remand when he underwent a medical examination. He further said that his client’s health was being neglected due to which the trial was delayed.
“Gul is exempted from attendance based on the government hospital report,” Tariq said. He added that his client, an asthmatic, has been in the hospital since December 7.
“According to the hospital report, Gill needs oxygen to breathe. We are not running away from the hearing, the hospital is like a jail,” the PTI leader’s lawyer added, pleading with the court that his client Be exempted from hearing.
“He will appear in court when Gul’s condition improves,” Tariq said. He further said that Gill has been appearing in the court in the past as well.
Smog is a problem in Lahore. Why is gills not treated in Pimms? The judge remarked.
The Case
Gill was detained on August 9 on charges of inciting a mutiny within the Pakistan Army through his remarks during a program on a private TV channel.
He was booked in August for treason and recovery of arms and remained in custody for over a month. However, after repeated attempts to release him, he was finally granted bail in the treason case by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on September 15.
A case against Gul has been registered at the Kohsar police station under sections 124-A (sedition), 505 (statements inciting public disorder) and the Pakistan Penal Code.
The PTI party was insisting on seeking bail for the leader, alleging that he was subjected to humiliation, torture and sexual assault in police custody.
While Gill was in police custody, the PTI had repeatedly alleged that he was “sexually assaulted”, “tortured” and “stripped”. However, the authorities completely rejected these claims.
