LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday extended the interim protective bail of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill till Thursday (tomorrow) and also summoned the federal secretary for interior and Punjab secretary for home.

Gill appeared before the court accompanied by his counsel Ramzan Chaudhry.

A provincial law officer filed a report saying that three cases had been registered against the petitioner.

Advocate Chaudhry alleged that the report concealed details of a fourth FIR lodged against the petitioner by Manga Mandi police.

A federal law officer told the court that no case had been registered against the petitioner in Islamabad.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh directed the law officer to submit his statement in writing.

About the cases registered against Gill, the judge observed that the element of political victimisation could not be ruled out in this situation.

The judge said that the government of the day creates hype in the media by lodging cases against political rivals and withdraws the same after sometime.

Justice Sheikh extended the bail of Gill till Jan 26 and sought personal appearance of the interior secretary and the home secretary.

Last week, the judge had granted bail to Gill subject to furnishing bail bonds of Rs50,000.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2023