IHC summons top Islamabad police officers on plea against Gill’s remand

ISLAMABAD: A day after a district and sessions court in Islamabad accepted the request for additional physical remand of Shahbaz Gill, chief of staff to former prime minister Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) summoned top leadership of capital police to appear at 3:00 pm while hearing Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader’s plea against his detention.

On Wednesday, Zeba Chaudhry, a junior judge at the court, remanded Gill in the custody of Islamabad police for another two days. An Islamabad police team headed by Khalid Awan, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), reached the prison to take the suspect into custody for interrogation.

Chaudhry’s judgement came a day after the high court directed her to consider the case “on merit” after the government challenged the dismissal of Gill’s physical remand by a duty magistrate.

The party claimed that Gill, a professor of business administration at the University of Illinois, has been tortured during his incarceration. It has also alleged that the PTI leader is being coerced into making a statement against party chair Khan.

Today, Aamer Farooq, acting IHC chief justice, took up Gill’s plea against his detention while lawyers Faisal Chaudhry and Shoaib Shaheen represented the politician.

Judge Chaudhry, the Islamabad inspector general of police, senior superintendent of police (SSP) investigation, Kohsar police station house officer (SHO), City Magistrate Ghulam Mustafa Chandio and the state were nominated as respondents in the petition.

During the hearing, Shaheen contended judge Chaudhry did not follow the “guidelines” provided within the law.

“I have come to know that Gill has been admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The Adiala Jail superintendent has been summoned so that we can verify the facts,” Justice Farooq said.

At one point, Shaheen contended they were not being allowed to meet Gill. The judge responded that this matter would also be discussed when the officials appear.

THE CASE

Gill was arrested on August 9 in Islamabad on charges of sedition, based on comments he made on the ARY News.

In a television appearance, Gill told ARY News that Islamabad was trying to create a rift between Pakistan Army and Khan.

He said that ordinary soldiers support Khan and his party which enrages the government. He alleged there was a “strategic media cell” within the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition which was mounting a fake news campaign to harm Khan.

Gill also works with the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. Insitute officials confirmed to WCIA TV Gill did not teach classes last semester and was not scheduled to teach this semester.

Must Read