PTI leader Shahbaz Gill to appeal to Pak apex court over ‘custodial torture’
Shahbaz Gill, close aide of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In an effort to challenge the Pakistani government's "custodial torture," Shahbaz Gill's legal team has chosen to file a case with the Supreme Court.
According to the Express Tribune, the legal team would also contest the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) decision to impose a two-day detention order on Gill in accordance with Article 185(3) of the Constitution.
The 'custodial torture' was a matter of public significance because it had been used against journalists as well, Gill's attorney Chaudhry Faisal Hussain told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.
“The matter would be taken to the apex court on behalf of Gill, who is currently in police custody,” Faisal Hussain said.
Additionally, the Express Tribune reported that the police officials refuted the claim of torture when the subject was transferred to the inspector general of Islamabad police for a preliminary investigation. This was stated in a written decision by acting IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq.
“The register/record of the Central Jail Adiyala does mention certain bruises and other marks on the body of the petitioner when he was taken in. Under Rule 20 of the Prison Code Rules for the Superintendence and management of Prisons in Pakistan when a prisoner with injuries on his body is admitted into a prison from police custody he shall be examined immediately by the Medical Officer,” it said.
“It is also provided that if the examination reveals unexplained injuries not already recorded in the medico-legal report accompanying the prisoner, a report shall at once be made to the Sessions Judge and officer-in-charge of the prosecution and Superintendent police,” the order added.
As reported by the PTI, the written order further stated that the remand should not be denied based solely on speculation and that it should instead be done using information already in the public domain, such as police diaries.
Shahbaz Gill was transferred from PIMS and given to the Islamabad police for a two-day physical remand by the Islamabad court. After hearing the arguments, the court delayed judgement and later instructed the police to bring Gill before the court on August 24.
Gill was detained on suspicion of conspiring with a private Pakistani TV news channel to spread disinformation about the government. Police reported that he was arrested for making remarks against the governmental institutions and inciting the populace to rebel.
Notably, regulatory watchdog PEMRA has alleged that the ARY News channel was airing “false, hateful and seditious” content based on “absolute disinformation with a clear and present threat to national security by instigating rebellion within the armed forces.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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