LAHORE: The district court on Saturday rejected the bail plea filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (r) Safdar in an anti-state speech case.
Judicial Magistrate Salman Asif heard the petition of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz‘s husband.
During the hearing, the party’s lawyer Farhad Ali Shah submitted that the police do not have the authority to register the case. Shah stated that even if a provocative statement was issued, the notification would have to be written as per law whereas Safdar was not notified about it.
The lawyer added that his client was arrested in a false lawsuit to prevent him from following his wife’s cases.
After the statements of the defendant’s lawyer, the court reserved its verdict, whereas District Public Prosecutor Rai Mushtaq did not appear in the court.
The court, ruling on the petition, dismissed the bail appeal of the PML-N leader who was arrested over provocative speech against state agencies on October 22 near Ravi Toll Plaza.
During the hearing, the public prosecutor argued that Safdar was arrested by police in connection with serious allegations of provocative speech.
During the hearing, the government lawyer presented the speech of Captain (r) Safdar to the court. The government lawyer asked the court for a 14-day physical remand of Safdar since his audio and video tests were to be conducted.
Safdar’s lawyer, Syed Farhad Ali Shah, said no one could be arrested on the basis of their intentions. Before implementing Section 16, the directive of the government is necessary, and the government has not issued any notification regarding Safdar’s supervision.
He said that the deputy commissioner can order a written inquiry, but no written order has been issued. “My client has nothing to do with a banned organisation. They have been arrested only on political grounds”. “Even if accused over the video issue, the police still do not have the authority to arrest him,” he stated.
Capt (r) Safdar said that his wife and the Sharif family are attending court proceedings. “In the accountability court, the police tortured women. A case was registered against me when I tried to intervene. I was granted bail but got arrested in another case,” he added.
The PML-N leader said that he said something in a casual conversation with friend which was recorded on video and later uploaded on the internet. “I was kept in detention for 24 hours while the FIR was registered in the morning,” he added.
