ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Wednesday issued a bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Ali Haider Gillani in a Senate election rigging case for his failure to appear before the court.

Additional Sessions Judge Umeed Ali Baloch while hearing the case regarding alleged horse-trading in 2021 Senate elections, deferred the indictment of Gillani and other two accused — Fahim Khan and Jameel Khan and issued Gillani’s bailable arrest warrant.

Ahead of the Senate elections, a video emerged on social media purportedly showing Ali Haider, son of former prime minister and then joint opposition’s candidate for Senate chairman Yousuf Raza Gillani, explaining lawmakers how to tamper their votes.

At the start of the hearing, the defence counsel filed an application seeking exemption of his client from personal appearance before the court.

Counsel for Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lawyer Saad Hasan while objecting to Gillani’s counsel’s request said that the accused were using delaying tactics in the case. He requested the court to reject the exemption application.

After hearing the arguments, the court issued warrants for the accused and adjourned the hearing of the case till June 16.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023