An Islamabad additional sessions and district court on Saturday deferred Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill\u2019s indictment in the sedition case till May 6.
\nThe PTI leader faces multiple cases since making controversial comments about the military establishment on a private TV channel. In August of last year, he was arrested by the federal government on charges of sedition and inciting the public against state institutions. In December, he was hospitalised with shortness of breath and coughing.
\nAdditional sessions judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over the hearing today, with Gill and his lawyers Qaiser Imam and Ali Bukhari present in the court.
\nAt the outset of the hearing, the PTI leader jested with the judge, wishing him a \u201chappy birthday\u201d, to which Sipra was quick to note that the \u201cApril\u2019s fool message had reached Gill\u201d.
\nThe judge remarked that Gill was going abroad and inquired when he would return to Pakistan.
\nThe PTI leader stated that he had to go \u201cfar\u201d and requested that the court have mercy on him. When asked how far he had to travel, Gill repeated his earlier sentence.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not as if you\u2019re going by foot,\u201d the judge commented.
\nThe lawyer for one of the co-accused mentioned that the decision of the Supreme Court was not received after a plea was filed to adjourn the proceedings of the sedition until a decision on Arshad Sharif\u2019s case was made in the apex court.
\nThe judge directed that Gill\u2019s plea be submitted in writing.
\nThe court postponed Gill\u2019s indictment again. The hearing was adjourned till May 6.
\nEarlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) permitted Gill to travel to the United States for four weeks.
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