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ISLAMABAD: Shahbaz Gill, the head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was handed a bailable arrest warrant on Thursday by a court in the federal capital for allegedly inciting sedition at state institutions after his request for a personal attendance exemption was denied.
Gill failed to show up in court. Tahir Abbas Supra, an additional sessions judge, expressed anger at the defendant’s request for a personal attendance exemption, stating it seemed the defendant did not want the case to move forward.
The judge stated that Gill had been engaging in a variety of political activities and that he seemed healthy after being granted bail. The judge stated that Shahbaz Gill appeared to be fleeing the courtroom.
The court was informed by Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi that the accused in this case didn’t seem particularly serious. He requested that a non-bailable arrest warrant be issued for him by the court. However, Gill’s attorney Shehryar Tariq told the judge that a checkup performed while Gill was on physical remand revealed that he had health issues.
According to the medical report, Gill had asthma, and Tariq continued by saying that whenever his health improved, he would show up in court for the subsequent hearing. The attorney asked the court to grant his request for an exemption from attendance until that time.
The court denied Gill’s appeal for exemption and issued a warrant for his arrest that is subject to payment of Rs200,000. The indictment procedures were then again postponed by the court. The case’s subsequent hearing will now take place on January 6.
