ISLAMABAD: Retired Lt Gen Amjad Shuaib was absolved of the charge of inciting the public against the government by a judge on Thursday.

A judicial magistrate had remanded the television analyst in police custody on Feb 27 for three days.

On Thursday, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Tahir Abbas Sipra cleared Amjad Shuaib of charges that he had tried to create “public mischief” by suggesting during a TV talk show last month that the opposition give a call to government employees to boycott their work.

It said the retired general had tried to incite the public and government employees against state institutions and to sow discord between different groups.

Ramna police produced Gen Shuaib before the ADSJ after expiry of his physical remand.

His counsel Mian Ali Ashfaq argued the FIR against Amjad Shuaib was frivolous and based on mala fide intent.

He said no public servant had approached police for registration of an FIR over what the defence analyst uttered on a private television channel.

Gen Shuaib told the court that he was against sit-ins, long marches and toppling of governments through demonstrations.

“I am a true patriot and believe in the rule of law.”

Mian Ashfaq, his counsel, contended the accused “has every right to criticise the government”, terming his arrest a “classic example of abuse of the process of law”.

According to the defence counsel, the FIR was based on mala fide intent as the complainant might have watched numerous TV shows, but he did not lodge an FIR against any other person.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2023