ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday adjourned the hearing of the post-arrest bail application filed by former senator Faisal Raza Abidi in multiple contempt of court and cybercrime cases on the request of Abidi’s counsel.
The ATC, in the last hearing, sought recommendations from Adiala Jail’s administration over the post-arrest bail application filed by Abidi on medical grounds till Friday, which was presented in the court on the day. The report said that the jail hospital had all the medical facilities and Abidi was being treated well in the hospital.
In the previous hearing, the counsel of the former senator had told ATC-II Judge Shahrukh Arjumand that his client was suffering from various medical issues that needed to be addressed at the hospital.
It is worth mentioning that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had booked Abidi under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. According to the FIR registered against the former senator, Abidi, with criminal intent, had used sarcastic, derogatory and defamatory language against the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar and was prima facie guilty of offences punishable under sections 10(a), 11 and 20 of PECA, read with sections 109 and 509 of the PPC.
Abidi is also facing other FIRs registered at the Secretariat police station under PPC’s sections 228, 500, 505(ii) and 34, along with the ATA, in response to a complaint lodged by SC Public Relations Officer Shahid Hussain Kambyo for using threatening language and levelling allegations against government institutions and individuals holding the highest constitutional posts. The court fixed November 6 as the next date of hearing.