ISLAMABAD: A local court of Islamabad on Saturday dismissed the plea of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill in a case registered against him for inciting mutiny in the armed forces.

Additional district and sessions judge Tahir Abbas Sipra also decided to indict Gill and director news of a private TV channel Ammad Yousuf on Feb 27. Both Mr Gill and Mr Yousuf appeared before the court.

The counsel for the PTI leader, Shaharyar Tariq, argued on the appeal, seeking his acquittal in the case. He said the case could not have been registered without prior permission of the federal or respective provincial government.

He argued that the entire proceeding pursuant to registration of the First Information Report was ‘illegal’, because it was not registered in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law. He pointed out that the police registered the case without due deliberations and in a mechanical manner, as the FIR contained those sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) referred by the complainant.

Moreover, he said, the content of the FIR was also the same as the complaint.

The judge remarked that the complainant in this case was the magistrate and he must be well conversant with the law.

The defence counsel argued that the only available evidence against the PTI leader was a USB, which was not even sent for a forensic examination.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court had laid down procedure for admissibility of electronic evidence. The judge was of the opinion that the court would examine the evidence after framing of charges.

He dismissed Gill’s application and adjourned further proceeding till Feb 27.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023