Connect with us

Politics

PTI leader Shahbaz Gill secures bail in sedition case

Published

2 years ago

on

  • IHC CJ Athar Minallah directs authorities to release Gill on bail.
  • Orders Gill to submit Rs500,000 as surety against his bail.
  • Says “no one should be deprived of bail until there is no solid evidence against them.”

Senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill has finally been granted bail by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after repeatedly attempting to get released on bail in the sedition case filed against him.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s chief of staff Gill has been in detention since last month when he was arrested after a treason case was filed against him for inciting mutiny within the Pakistan Army through his remarks during a private TV channel show.

The case against Gill is registered under Sections 124-A (sedition), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), and of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Gill had approached the IHC last Friday after his failure to get bail from a trial court despite continuous efforts.

The politician nominated Kohsar Police Station SHO, City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza and others as parties in the plea, stating that he was arrested by Kohsar police on August 9.

Today’s hearing

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed the authorities to release Gill on bail after hearing arguments from all of the parties in the case. The court directed Gill to submit Rs500,000 as surety against his bail.

“No one should be deprived of the [right to be released] on bail until there is no solid evidence against them. There wouldn’t be any remedy if the same person turns out to be innocent later,” the court remarked, adding that an investigation must go on but with strong evidence brought to the fore.

Earlier during the hearing, IHC CJ Minallah remarked that the armed forces of Pakistan are not “weak that they would get affected” by irresponsible remarks made by someone.

He, however, made it clear that “Gill’s irresponsible, inappropriate and derogatory remarks cannot be justified in any case.”

Meanwhile, Gill’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar reiterated that the case against Gill is based on ill intentions and political victimisation.

He claimed that Gill didn’t address the armed forces in his remark but it was targeted towards the PML-N.

Allegations of torture, sexual abuse

The PTI had been insistent in demanding the party leader’s bail, alleging that he is facing humiliation, torture and sexual abuse in police custody.

Multiple proceedings on pleas seeking and challenging Gill’s physical remand for interrogations have been held with the defence contending that the politician wasn’t physically or mentally fit to undergo physical remand.

Meanwhile, United Kingdom-based international non-governmental organisation for human rights Amnesty International had also expressed concern about the alleged torture being inflicted on Gill during detention.

In a tweet, Amnesty International had called for an immediate and impartial probe into the allegations of torture.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

The President has signed the 26th constitutional amendment, and a notification has been issued.

Published

20 hours ago

on

By

On Monday, the 26th amendment was ratified by President Asif Ali Zardari, bringing the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan up to date.

Following days of negotiations between the opposition and the Treasury, the amendment was finally approved by the National Assembly and the Senate on Sunday night.

The prime minister signed the recommendation to be forwarded to the president of Pakistan for confirmation following the amendment’s approval by both chambers of the legislature.

Following its implementation, the amendment’s notification was also released.

Recall that a legislative committee will select Pakistan’s top justice following the amendment’s implementation.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Unexpected development: JUI-F displays ‘forward bloc’ surfaces

Published

4 days ago

on

By

A “forward bloc” made up of four to five members of the National Assembly appears to be an unexpected indication of disunity within Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), according to sources who spoke with Dunya News.

The 26th constitutional amendment package is reportedly the subject of four to five JUI-F lawmakers who have formed a “forward bloc.”

Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) central head Aslam Ghori, however, has reportedly disputed the existence of any advance faction inside the party.

Each of their eight MNAs and five senators are in communication, he continued, adding. The leadership of JUI-F is in contact with all of them. Still, no one was reaching out to our lone senator, Abdul Shakoor.

The head of JUI-F has previously claimed that his MNAs were being intimidated and harassed in interviews with the press.

Speaking on the kidnapping of one of his party members and the intimidation of another, he bemoaned the harassment of JUI-F and BNP members.

The administration is intimidating our Members of Parliament while simultaneously having discussions on a package of constitutional amendments.

Fazl declared, “We will be forced to give consultation process on the issue if the government continues with such tactics.”

Continue Reading

Latest News

Constitutional amendment proposed: NA session is postponed until 6 p.m.

Published

4 days ago

on

By

As stated by the assembly secretariat, today’s (Friday) National Assembly (NA) session has been postponed until 6 p.m.

The meeting, which Speaker Ayaz Sadiq was to lead at 11 a.m., has been postponed, according to the National Assembly Secretariat.

Under Rule 49, the National Assembly speaker’s time was modified, as announced by the secretariat.

An eight-point agenda itemised by the secretariat has also been made public. Nonetheless, the 26th constitutional amendment bill’s introduction is not on the agenda.

You might remember that since last month, the Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government has been working to get the constitutional amendment approved.

In the absence of agreement on the 26th amendment to the Constitution, the administration was unable to secure the necessary two-thirds majority, leading to the National Assembly’s indefinite adjournment on September 16.

Continue Reading

Trending