ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday reserved decision on a petition seeking post-arrest bail of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Sikandar Khan is likely to announce the decision on Tuesday (today).

Mr Gandapur, a former federal minister, was arrested last week from outside the building of the Peshawar High Court’s Dera Ismail Khan Bench.

He was later handed over to Golra Police of Islamabad.

However, his custody was given to Bhakkar Police later on.

The FIR registered against Mr Gandapur with Golra Police mentions an audio leak in which he could purportedly be heard using derogatory language against the federal coalition and hurling threats on government officials and inciting public against the government.

Gandapur’s counsel Sher Afazl Khan argued that the police has referred to a recorded conversation between Gandapur and another person in which the former is allegedly hurling threats and inciting public to violence.

The counsel, however, said that the identity of the alleged person with whom his client was talking has never been made public.

He further argued that Mr Gandapur had never delivered a fiery speech in any public gathering his statement was broadcast in a television channel but the media outfit was not implicated as accused in the FIR.

He claimed that Mr Gandapur never incited any group against the state nor did he provoke the people against the government.

He asserted that the magistrate was not authorised to lodge the complaint against PTI leader for mutiny as it is the prerogative of the state to get such FIRs registered.

The judge reserved the decision and also summoned the investigating officer of the case on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023