An Islamabad district and sessions court issued a bailable arrest warrant for PTI leader Shahbaz Gill in the sedition case filed against him for inciting mutiny within the army.
The court, while issuing the warrant, said the PTI leader should ensure his appearance at the next hearing and can obtain bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000. The case has been adjourned till January 6.
During the hearing, a junior lawyer requested the court to grant Gill an exemption from today’s appearance.
At this, special prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that the PTI leader had adopted a non-serious attitude in the case.
“Where is Shahbaz Gill’s lawyer Shahryar Tariq?” asked additional sessions judge Tahir Abbas Sipra.
The junior lawyer told the court that Tariq was busy in the high court and will reach in a while.
At this point, the special prosecutor intervened and told the judge that Gill’s request was a joke with the court. He also urged the court to issue warrants for the PTI leader.
Gill’s lawyer, Tariq, told the judge that Gill’s illness was detected during his physical remand when he underwent a medical examination. He added that his client’s health was being ignored which caused the delay of the trial.
“Shahbaz Gill got an exemption from appearance based on a government hospital’s report,” Tariq said. He added that his client, an asthma patient, has been in the hospital since December 7.
“As per the hospital report, Shahbaz 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. He also urged the court to accept his client’s exemption from the hearing.
“Shahbaz Gill will appear in the court once his health improves,” Tariq said, adding that Gill has been appearing in the court in the past as well.
“There is a smog problem in Lahore. Why doesn’t Shahbaz Gill get treatment at PIMS?” the judge remarked.
