ISLAMABAD - Dr Shehbaz Gill, the chief of staff of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, yesterday was remanded to the Islamabad police for two days by the local court in a case of inciting mutiny in the Armed Forces and other institutions.
The Kohsar police would produce the accused in the court on Friday after investigation.
Earlier on Tuesday last, Shehbaz Gill was going to Imran Khan residence in Bani Gala when a police team of Kohsar police station, assisted by the commandos of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), had intercepted his vehicle and arrested him and taken him Police Station Kohsar in a private car for investigation.
A case was registered against Shehbaz Gill under sections 124A /120/131/153/153A/505/506/121B/109 and 34 of Pakistan Penal Code on plaintiff of Magistrate City Ghulam Murtaza Chandio, they said. Judicial Magistrate Islamabad Umer Shabbir remanded Dr Shehbaz Gill for two days physical custody. He also ordered investigators to reproduce the accused before court on August 12 for further proceedings of the case.
Faisal Chaudhry, the counsel for the accused, opposed the plea of police of granting remand of his client. On this the court reserved the verdict.
Talking to media men, Faisal Chaudhry Advocate said that a petition would be filed by him with Islamabad High Court for quashing the case against Dr Shehbaz Gill. He said that blood spots were spotted on the clothes of his client. He added his client also told the judge that his life might be in danger if the court awarded police investigators his physical remand. Later, Shehbaz Gill, while responding to queries of media men while he was being escorted back to the police station, said that there was nothing offensive about his statement against the institutions. “My statement was the statement of a patriot and that’s it,” he said. “Shehbaz Gill was handcuffed by the police for making statements against the Armed Forces and other institutions and creating hatred among their officers and subordinates,” confirmed a police spokesman. The police registered a case against Dr Shehbaz Gill under treason charges on complaint of district government, he added.
Arrest of Gill, who is allegedly involved in attempting to incite mutiny against Pakistan Army in a talk show of a private TV channel besides using abusive and offensive language against journalists and political opponents on social media, sparked unrest among the top leadership of PTI as they vehemently condemned the arrest of the chief of staff of party’s chief Imran Khan.
Former Federal Minister on Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said in his tweet that Dr Shehbaz Gill was kidnapped by unknown kidnappers in cars without number plates.
PML-Q leader and former federal minister Moonis Elahi also announced on Twitter that cops of Punjab police are being sent to Bani Gala to protect Imran Khan, the party chief as we heard about some movement towards Bani Gala.
Nonetheless, a spokesman of Islamabad police clarified in a press release, shared with media men, that no movement was being made towards Bani Gala by the police. He said that IG Islamabad has stationed 76 cops, under supervision of an SP, for protection of PTI chief Imran Khan.