Daily Times

A district and sessions court in Islamabad Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of PTI leader and Imran Khan’s chief of staff Dr Shahbaz Gill a day after reserving its ruling in the sedition case. Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the reserved verdict. “Statement of the accused [who is the leader of a national level popular party] is sensational which is sufficient for disturbing harmony and discipline in the most respected institution of Pakistan, Pakistan Army,” the detailed order read. Gill was arrested on August 9 after he had made controversial remarks about the army. He had applied for post-arrest bail on August 25. After the rejection of his plea today, PTI leader Shireen Mazari termed the denial of bail to Gill “shameful”. She alleged that the state was “hellbent on torturing Gill to try and get to IK (Imran Khan)”. “His torture is now evident before the world. How far will conspirators go in desperation to Get IK! So far they have failed at each turn of their vicious plotting!” she tweeted. In Monday’s hearing, Gill’s counsel revealed that the PTI chief’s aide was willing to tender an apology for any misunderstandings. Police produced the relevant record before the court and at the request of Gill’s counsel, the court allowed him to peruse the record.

The counsel argued that the city magistrate had accused Gill of sedition, an allegation that he had never thought of. He said the police registered a case against Gill on the basis of a selected portion of the transcript of his live interaction on television. He claimed that the statement was taken out of context, adding he was, however, ready to tender an apology. The counsel stated that Gill had talked about the pride of the country’s armed forces and never attempted to incite mutiny among them.

Special prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi, on the other hand, argued that Gill had launched a systematic campaign against the senior hierarchy of the armed forces and tried to politicize the institution. He added that Gill had tried to provoke the bureaucracy and incite them to disobey the government. Regarding the allegation of torture, Abbasi told the court that the medical board had dismissed these allegations. He concluded that the evidence against him was sufficient to connect him with the alleged crime. Kohsar police arrested Gill on Aug 9 and the judicial magistrate remanded him in police custody till August 12. The police requested the magistrate to extend the remand order, however, he was sent to the judicial lockup.