The Islamabad High Court has issued a notice to PTI leader and Imran Khan’s chief of staff Shahbaz Gill on the government’s petition seeking his physical remand and has asked the government lawyer to present arguments on the petition’s maintainability.
Acting Chief Justice Amir Farooq of the IHC heard the government petition on Monday, which challenged the lower court’s decision to send Gill on judicial remand while rejecting the government’s request for an extension of his physical remand.
On behalf of the government, Islamabad Advocate General Jehangir Jadoon appeared in court. The case’s investigation officer also appeared in court.
The judge asked the AG to tell the court where the case stood. The law officer informed the court of the lower court’s decision. He claimed that in one of his interviews with a private TV channel, Gill specifically targeted state institutions. The institutions that the PTI leader chastised have made numerous sacrifices for the country, and they are revered and held in high regard, according to the AG.
According to the court, the sessions court denied the government’s review request for physical remand. It requested that the petitioner’s lawyer first present arguments in favor of the petition’s viability.
The lawyer argued, citing several court decisions, that the petition against the judicial magistrate’s decision was appropriate to be heard.
He stated that police had yet to recover the accused’s mobile phone and other devices, which is why he required further physical remand.
However, the court asked lawyer Rizwan Abbasi to explain why he wanted the accused’s physical remand extended.
Following that, the court issued a notice to Shahbaz Gill, instructing him to submit his response by tomorrow.
The government filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court on Saturday, challenging the magistrate court’s rejection of their appeal for Gill’s physical remand on Friday.
The petition requested that the IHC declare the lower court’s decision to grant Gill judicial remand null and void.
The magistrate court denied the government’s request for physical remand of the PTI leader on Friday. However, the government later filed a review petition against the decision, which was again denied by the court, and Gill was imprisoned on judicial remand.
Gill was apprehended last Tuesday afternoon in the capital’s Banigala Chowk, a day after making controversial remarks on a private TV channel. He was later arrested on charges of sedition and inciting members of state institutions to oppose the Pakistan Army.
At the Kohsar Police Station, a treason case was filed against him under several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 124-A (sedition), 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor, or airman from his duty), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot if rioting is committed; if not committed), 153-A (promoting enmity between different
Hearing in the Sessions Court Gill’s bail request
In the meantime, an Islamabad court is hearing Shahbaz Gill’s petition for post-arrest bail.
Additional Meetings The case is being heard by Judge Zeba Chaudhry.
At the start of the hearing, Gill’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, pleaded with the court to rule on the case today because his arguments were finished. However, the judge stated that a similar case was pending in the Islamabad High Court.
The lawyer argued that the IHC case was related to a magistrate court decision, but this case was different, and the sessions court could hear it.
He went on to say that no one could keep someone in jail for no reason, even if the government wanted to delay the case.
However, the prosecutor objected and requested that the case be adjourned.
The judge, however, adjourned the hearing until 2 p.m. today after ordering police to bring the record before the court by that time.
Faisal Ch stated that he was willing to present additional arguments following the production of police records.
Hassan Raza, DSP Legal, was present in court.
