ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan said on Saturday he would move the Supreme Court and file cases against top Islamabad police officials and a magistrate over the arrest of his aide, Dr. Shahbaz Gill.
Gill was arrested last week, a day after he made controversial comments in a talk show aired by a private news channel, ARY NEWS, asking army officers not to follow orders of their top command if they were “against the sentiments of the masses.”
The country’s national media regulator said the statement was “seditious” and said it was tantamount of inciting revolt within the military. The regulator also issued a show-cause notice to the channel, ARY News, for airing the “illegal” content. The channel has since been off air.
Khan had alleged that Gill had been tortured physically and mentally, after videos of him screaming as he arrived in a wheelchair to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) went viral on social media on Friday.
The ex-PM and other senior members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were prevented by police from meeting Gill at PIMS, after which Khan announced a protest on Saturday against what Gill’s “torture.”
“Today we have met our legal team, we are moving the Supreme Court (against Gill’s arrest),” Khan said, addressing a rally in Islamabad. “The whole nation is looking towards you (the Supreme Court), it is your responsibility to uphold the constitution and implement the rule of law.”
He also said would register file cases against Islamabad’s inspector-general of police (IG), deputy inspector general of police (DIG) and Magistrate Zeba Chaudhry, who on Wednesday approved Gill’s physical remand.
“The way Shahbaz Gill was picked up, tortured for two days, shame on you,” Khan said. “IG Islamabad and DIG, we won’t spare you. We will lodge cases against you.”
He said Gill was “picked up and tortured” to send a message and instill fear.
“They are imposing them (the government) on us by creating an atmosphere of fear.”
The government has rejected claims that Gill was tortured.
In a statement to Arab News on Friday, Islamabad police also denied the accusations.
Since his ouster from power in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April, Khan has refused to recognize the new government of PM Shehbaz Sharif and has since held several mass demonstrations across the country, been rallying for new polls.
The ruling coalition has so far resisted his demand, insisting the government would complete its term by August next year.
