ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Tuesday, rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance before it and issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for him in a sedition case registered against him.
Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra while hearing the case issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Gill due to his continuous absence from the court. At the start of the hearing, Gill’s lawyer Murtaza Turi filed an application seeking an exemption from personal appearance before it as he is currently in the United States.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed Gill on March 29 to travel to the United States (US) for four weeks.
He told the court that the duty magistrate had ordered that a relevant judge will announce the verdict on the plea of Gill.
The prosecutor, Rizwan Abbas, told the court that the duty judge had ordered to announce the verdict today. Thank you, how can the judge make an order without hearing arguments, the judge remarked.
The court took a short break. After the resumed the hearing following the break, the prosecutor requested cancelling Gill’s bail as well as surety bonds and issuing his non-bailable arrest warrants.
He also claimed that the court during the previous hearing issued a non-bailable warrant for Gill. The court sought a report regarding the issuance of Gill’s non-bailable arrest warrant. After seeing the order of the duty judge, the court observed that it was not clear in the order issued by the duty magistrate whether the non-bailable warrant was issued for Gill or not.
The court again took a break due to the absence of Gill’s lawyer. When the prosecutor insisted the court issue a non-bailable arrest warrant for the accused. The judge remarked that the court cannot issue an order in the absence of the defence counsel.
After resuming the hearing following the break, the court asked Gill’s lawyer when his client is coming. Gill’s wife has undergone surgery due to which so far it was not clear when he will return.
The court after hearing arguments issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Gill. The court observed that the accused has two options either he appears before the court then his warrant will be cancelled or challenge these orders. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till June 26.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023