LHC seeks attested copy of apology letter by TLP leader

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the counsel of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Pir Afzal Qadri to present a copy of the apology letter of his client after getting it attested by an oath commissioner.

A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan was hearing bail petitions of TLP head Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Afzal Qadri in a case of leading violent protests against a court verdict.

At the outset of the hearing, Advocate Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry presented the copy of Qadri’s apology, however, he requested the bench not to discuss its points in the open court. The bench rejected the request and asked the counsel to read out the text of the apology letter.

After the counsel finished the reading, the bench observed that the letter missed an apology for Qadri’s derogatory remarks about judges of the Supreme Court, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Justice Khan observed that the remarks of Qadri amounted to inciting people against the state institutions, which fell under the offence of treason. The bench instructed the counsel to make a telephonic contact with his client and ask him whether he was ready to take his all remarks back.

The counsel after a while told the bench that his client was ready to withdraw all his objectionable remarks and to submit a comprehensive apology to the court. The bench directed the counsel to resubmit the apology with the attestation by an oath commissioner.

Justice Khan made it clear to the counsel that the apology would not guarantee bail of his client. The bench would resume its hearing on Wednesday (today). On a previous hearing, Qadri’s counsel told the bench the petitioner had been suffering from serious illness and his treatment was not possible in jail. He said a medical board had also recommended treatment of the petitioner at Punjab Institute of Cardiology.