Islamabad court defers Shahbaz Gill’s indictment in sedition case

ISLAMABAD – A district and sessions judge of Islamabad on Friday deferred PTI leader Shahbaz Gill's indictment in a sedition case.

Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra deferred the hearing as Gill appeared before the court in an ambulance on oxygen support. 

The PTI leader arrived in the court as the court had issued a bailable arrest warrant for the PTI leader. 

Gill's lawyer argued that they could not take him out of the ambulance as he had an oxygen mask on. The court remarked that it looked like the suspects were trying to buy time.

Gill's lawyer said that the court had issued arrest warrants for a sick man. The court marked Gill's attendance while he remained in the ambulance.

On the other hand, Ammad Yusuf, another suspect in the case, applied for an exemption from attendance through his lawyer. He said that his client contracted malaria and should be excused from the hearing.

The judge remarked that Gill came from Lahore in an ambulance, but Yusuf was not able to come from Karachi. At this, the lawyer submitted his medical report to the court.

However, the court rejected the application and issued a bailable arrest warrant against Yusuf, and adjourned the indictment proceedings against Gill and Ammad till January 20.

Gill was taken into custody on August 9 for inciting mutiny within the Pakistan Army through his remarks during a private TV channel show.

Islamabad court issues arrest warrants for Shahbaz Gill in sedition case