Last night, Pakistan witnessed disturbing scenes as Islamabad and Rawalpindi police came face to face over the custody of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill who was later shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad after he reportedly faced respiratory issues.
The PTI leader was shifted to PIMS under high alert security while a medical team has been formed comprising heart, lung specialists doctors, and medical officers. Shahbaz Gill’s COVID test would also be conducted if needed, hospital sources told the media.
Earlier, an Islamabad sessions judge sent Shahbaz Gill on a two-day physical remand upon the request of the Islamabad police. Important to note that the entire situation has caused a storm in Pakistan as PTI leaders slam the order.
Read more: Court accepts 2-day physical remand of Shahbaz Gill
PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan shared a video in which Shahbaz Gill can be being shifted to a hospital on a stretcher while wearing an oxygen mask.
“Descending into a banana republic. The civilized world will be shocked at our levels of barbarism. The worst part is an easy target has been chosen to make an example of through torture & without a fair trial,” the PTI chief wrote in the tweet.
Meanwhile the likes of NS, Maryam, MFR, AZ, all of whom have in the worst possible way & repeatedly attacked State institutions through malicious & targeted statements against them, get away without even a hint of a reprimand.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 17, 2022
In a follow-up tweet, he said no action was taken against the leaders who are now part of the coalition government including PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, her daughter Maryam, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PPP leader Asif Zardari for targeting the state institutions.
PTI leaders raise storm
Fawad Chaudhry also criticized the order and said that “judges sending political workers in remand for torture while knowing everything are criminals”. He said that there was no parallel to the way human rights were being “utterly destroyed” in Pakistan. He said that Gill was being sent to police custody for “torture” instead of an interrogation.
Read more: Imran Khan condemns torture against Shahbaz Gill
Meanwhile, former SAPM Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari questioned the “conscience” of the state.
“Shahbaz Gill has neither access to justice nor humane treatment, while the real criminals of the nation are walking free today. Where is he now? And what is happening with him and what statements is he being forced to give? At this time, the consciences of both the state and politics are silent,” Zulfi Bukhari tweeted.
شہباز گل کو نہ انصاف تک رسائی حاصل ہے اور نہ انسانوں والا سلوک ، جبکہ قوم کے اصل مجرم آج باہر آزاد پھر رہے ہیں
بتایا جائے کہ وہ اب کہاں ہے ؟ اور اس کے ساتھ کیا ہو رہا ہے اور اس سے کیا بیانات دلوائے جا رہے ہیں ؟
اس وقت ریاست اور سیاست دونوں کے ضمیر خاموش ہیں pic.twitter.com/ExcX2NjThB
— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) August 17, 2022
“Shameful how Gill is being victimized and tortured without any legal case proven against him. A man with serious heart issues and look at shameless Islamabad Capita Territory police surrounding him as he lies barely conscious on a stretcher! They may murder him and others just to get a false statement against Imran Khan,” former federal minister Shireen Mazari tweeted.
Shameful how Gill is being victimised & tortured without any legal case proven against him. A man with serious heart issues & look at shameless ICT police surrounding him as he lies barely conscious on a stretcher! They may murder him & others just to get a false statement ag IK. pic.twitter.com/ibFkuFY245
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) August 17, 2022