ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Saturday, rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill’s application seeking to defer indictment in a sedition case filed against him and others. The court fixed March 22 for framing charges against all the accused.

Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra, while announcing the reserved judgment rejected Gill’s application to defer indictment till the decision of the Supreme Court over Arshad Sharif murder case. Co-accused Ahmad Yousaf also appeared before the court.

At the start of the hearing, Gill told the court that his lawyer had an accident and would be unable to appear before the court. I personally want to make some submission before the court, he said, adding that his co-accused Arshad Sharif had been compelled to leave the country.

He said that efforts were being made to trace Sharif after he left the country. Sharif was murdered after he reached Kenya, he said. Gill said that a team has been constituted for the investigation of Sharif’s murder case.

A similar kind of application had been filed in Karachi, he said that the investigation officer of Karachi said that someone had asked him for registration of the case and nominating us.

Gill said that these cases had become a reason for Sharif to leave the country. Supreme Court has taken suo motu on the Sharif murder case and constituted a special joint investigation team (JIT) for the murder case.

The JIT has submitted its report to the apex court, he said, adding that these cases are pending before the apex court. The apex court would determine whether these cases were registered on merit or not, he said.

He said that he does not want this court permanently close this case but wait for the decision of the Supreme Court. The apex court may hear the case this weak and dismiss it.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023