Court orders Safdar’s presence at next hearing

IO given three-day extension to submit case challan for ‘disrespecting’ Quaid’s mausoleum

KARACHI:

A local court directed on Saturday Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Capt (retd) Safdar to appear at the next hearing of a case pertaining to violating the sanctity of the Quaid's mausoleum in Karachi.

The East judicial magistrate was hearing the case at Karachi City Court, where Safdar, the accused, failed to appear.

The counsels representing him filed a plea for exemption on his behalf, stating he could not appear in court as he was not present in the city.

The investigation officer (IO) also sought an extension for submitting the case challan.

The court granted the IO a three-day extension and directed Safdar to appear in court at the next hearing.

Safdar, who is the husband of PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif, was arrested on October 19, the day after the Pakistan Democratic Movement rally in Karachi, for shouting political slogans within the Mazar-e-Quaid the previous day.

The incident was further shrouded in controversy after the Sindh IGP was allegedly abducted to put pressure on him to make the arrest.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2020.