اردو
  • Court again defers Gill's indictment in sedition case

    Shahbaz Gill File Photo Shahbaz Gill

    An Islamabad additional sessions and district court on Saturday deferred Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill’s indictment in the sedition case till May 6.

    The PTI leader faces multiple cases since making controversial comments about the military establishment on a private TV channel. In August of last year, he was arrested by the federal government on charges of sedition and inciting the public against state institutions. In December, he was hospitalised with shortness of breath and coughing.

    Additional sessions judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over the hearing today, with Gill and his lawyers Qaiser Imam and Ali Bukhari present in the court.

    At the outset of the hearing, the PTI leader jested with the judge, wishing him a “happy birthday”, to which Sipra was quick to note that the “April’s fool message had reached Gill”.

    The judge remarked that Gill was going abroad and inquired when he would return to Pakistan.

    The PTI leader stated that he had to go “far” and requested that the court have mercy on him. When asked how far he had to travel, Gill repeated his earlier sentence.

    “It’s not as if you’re going by foot,” the judge commented.

    The lawyer for one of the co-accused mentioned that the decision of the Supreme Court was not received after a plea was filed to adjourn the proceedings of the sedition until a decision on Arshad Sharif’s case was made in the apex court.

    The judge directed that Gill’s plea be submitted in writing.

    The court postponed Gill’s indictment again. The hearing was adjourned till May 6.

    Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) permitted Gill to travel to the United States for four weeks.