A sessions court in Lahore on Tuesday ordered the prime minister’s adviser, Shahzad Akbar, to appear in person or depute a representative to the court in order to pardon PTI MPA Nazir Chohan in the courtroom after the latter apologised for “mistakenly” questioning faith of the premier’s aide.

The court, while hearing a bail plea of Chohan in the case, issued notice to Akbar and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for a hearing scheduled tomorrow (August 4).

MPA Chohan, outspoken MPA and member of disgruntled Jahangir Tareen group, had levelled allegations about Akbar’s faith in a TV talk show on May 19 and demanded that the latter should resign from the office of adviser to the prime minister on accountability and interior. The next day, Akbar submitted an application with the Racecourse police station in Lahore and got an FIR registered when he came to Lahore on May 29.

Chohan was arrested on July 27 on Akbar’s complaint — registered in May — under sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 298 (making statements with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 153 (provoking to cause riot) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Later, the PTI MPA tendered an apology for his remarks via a video message from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) where he was taken on July 31 after developing heart problems.

In addition, he also issued a written apology today, saying he had sought pardon for his “mistake of alleging faith” of the premier’s adviser.

“I… show remorse over my statement and conduct. I will not give any statement to hurt feelings and reputation of Shahzad Akbar in future,” said the MPA.

Chohan, in the video, had stated that he had raised questions about the faith of Akbar and sought his explanation. “Akbar has now given his statement that he completely believes in the finality of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH),” he had said.

Explaining that he had no right to call anyone `kafir’ (infidel), Chohan apologised to Akbar for hurting his religious beliefs and prayed that he (Akbar) and his family stay blessed.

In response, the premier’s aide Akbar, through an affidavit, accepted the apology and said he had no objection to his release.

In May, Chohan had also gone to the Racecourse police station to court arrest but the police did not arrest him, stating that they had yet not obtained permission from the Punjab Assembly speaker.

After almost two months, the Racecourse police arrested Chohan at the LDA offices but he was granted post-arrest bail by a judicial magistrate later in the day.

Chohan was released from the Kot Lakhpat central jail, but in a surprise move was picked up by the FIA under cyber laws following a complaint lodged by the adviser under sections 11 and 20 of PECA and r/w 298, 500, 505(C), 506 of the PPC and 29 Telegraph Act. Chohan was accused of running a `malicious and hate speech` campaign against Akbar on social media platforms.