Gill moves IHC for bail in sedition case

PTI leader's petition says 'evidence of torture found'; hearing fixed for Sept 5

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill on Friday filed a plea in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking post-arrest bail in the sedition case against him.
In the petition, Gill stated that “evidence of torture was found” and thus, the IHC should grant post-arrest bail.

The plea maintained: "On August 17, a medical board consisting of senior doctors of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) conducted an examination. According to the medical board of Adiala Jail and Pims, evidence of torture was found on the petitioner and therefore the court should grant post-arrest bail."

It said that bail should be granted to the PTI leader till the final decision of the case. "The petitioner is the chief of staff officer of former prime minister Imran Khan,” it added.
SHO Kohsar, City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza and others have been made parties in the petition.

Subsequently, the court fixed Monday (September 5) for taking up the plea by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.

Gill was arrested on August 9, after registration of a sedition case at the Kohsar police station of the federal capital over his controversial remarks against the military during a programme on a private TV channel.

On Tuesday, a district and sessions court of Islamabad rejected the PTI leader’s bail plea in the sedition case, stating that his statement was “sufficient for disturbing harmony and discipline” in Pakistan Army.

According to the detailed order, Gill’s counsel had also offered an apology for offending (the armed forces).

The PTI leader had also accepted the transcript of the programme, according to the prosecutor.

It was said that the accused had prima facie committed a crime under Section 131, which was a non-bailable offense and that there was solid evidence on record against him.