LHC grants protective bail to Shahbaz Gill till Jan 24

• LHC bars authorities from arresting Gill till next Tuesday.  
• One case is registered against Gill, says centre's lawyer.
• Court approves bail against surety bonds worth Rs5,000. 

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday granted protective bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill till January 24 and sought details of cases registered against him from the public prosecutor.

In his petition, the PTI leader pleaded with the court to provide him with the details about the cases lodged against him.

LHC Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the case. Upon being asked, the federal government’s lawyer apprised the court that no case was registered against the PTI leader with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

One case, however, was registered against Gill but it would take time to provide its details, the lawyer quoted the prosecutor as saying.

Meanwhile, the court directed the deputy attorney general to provide the details of cases filed against Gill by Monday and granted protective bail to the PTI leader against surety bonds worth Rs5,000.

Gill is already facing sedition charges and in relation to that, earlier today, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) turned down the PTI leader's plea seeking a stay on his indictment in the sedition case filed against him.

The PTI leader was taken into custody on August 9 from Banigala Chowk over charges of inciting mutiny among the public against the ranks and files of the Pakistan Army during a TV programme.

He was booked in a sedition and arms recovery case in August and stayed in detention for over a month. He, however, secured bail from the IHC in the sedition case on September 15 after repeatedly attempting to get released.

The case against Gill is registered at Kohsar Police Station under Sections 124-A (sedition), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), and the Pakistan Penal Code.

The PTI had insisted on demanding the party leader's bail during the time that he was behind bars, alleging that he was facing humiliation, torture and sexual abuse in police custody.

It may be noted that the trial of the sedition case will begin tomorrow after the court frames charges against the PTI leader. However, the government has appointed Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi instead of holding a trial through a public prosecutor.

It should be noted that a district and sessions court of Islamabad had adjourned indictment proceedings against Gill till January 20, as he appeared with oxygen support during a hearing scheduled on January 6.