Islamabad court orders health authorities to shift PTI leader Shahbaz Gill to PIMS, conduct another health reassessment

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 19 : Islamabad court on Friday ordered a health reassessment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's close aide Shahbaz Gill while announcing the verdict on a plea seeking eight days of physical remand of Gill who was presented before the court earlier in the day in a sedition case filed against him.
The court remarked "Shahbaz Gill's condition is not fine" while announcing the verdict reserved by the duty Judicial Magistrate Raja Farrukh Ali Khan, Geo News reported.
PTI leader, who has been arrested in connection with the FIR registered against him for allegedly inciting mutiny among armed forces, was produced before Judicial Magistrate Raja Farrukh Ali Khan, following the expiry of his two-day remand in a sedition case filed against him.
Gill reached the Islamabad court from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the early hours of Friday after he was deemed "fit" by the medical board. He was escorted by the police in a wheelchair amid strict security arrangements, Geo News reported.
During the hearing, the police asked the court to extend the PTI leader's physical remand for another eight days.
According to the publication, the judicial magistrate noted that the court had previously granted the police two-day physical remand of Gill, and inquired why the police were requesting another eight days of Gill's custody.
The first question is whether the police were able to investigate in two days, the court said.
The judge also questioned whether the previous physical remand remained "uninitiated". "Was the earlier two-day remand technically uninitiated? Were police able to investigate during the two days' time?"
Giving his arguments, special prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that the investigation officer is supposed to take care of the accused's health if the court has granted a remand.
"It is written nowhere that physical remand cannot be granted if the accused is unwell," he said, adding that the IO can have the accused undergo a medical examination without a court's order.
However, Gill's lawyer opposed the request for an extension in Gill's remand.
Meanwhile, at the outset of the hearing, Gill pleaded to the court to return his oxygen mask, complaining that it was snatched while he was being escorted to the courtroom.
"For God's sake, give me my mask back," he said. At this, the judge asked him if he intends to stay, to which Gill said he will if his mask is provided to him. Later, an oxygen cylinder was also brought to the court, Geo News reported.
Earlier, on Wednesday night, Gill was taken to PIMS after he complained of breathing problems amid reports of him being subjected to torture while in police custody.
A medical report from PIMS declared that Gill is absolutely healthy. According to the sources, the medical report was issued by the PIMS on late Thursday, after conducting ten tests including the coronavirus test. Besides, six different X-rays were carried out.
The police of the federal capital termed Gill's illness "an excuse", saying that the medical board had declared him "completely fit".
"The accused is pretending to be sick and wants to hinder the investigations through this excuse but this cannot come in the way of law," the Islamabad Capital Territory Police said in a statement issued on Twitter.
Gill was arrested on charges of colluding with a private Pakistani TV news channel in carrying out propaganda against the state. Police said that he was arrested for making statements against the state institutions and inciting the people to rebellion, Geo News reported.
The Pakistani publication claimed that the PTI leader had attempted to incite hatred in the Pakistan Army while speaking on ARY News a day prior, which has been restricted in certain parts of the country.
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."
Amid the Pakistan government's crackdown on private television broadcaster ARY News for carrying out "anti-state propaganda", the founder and CEO of the network Salman Iqbal along with two of its news anchors have been booked under sedition charges.
The outlet's senior Vice President Ammad Yousaf was arrested from Karachi in the early hours of Wednesday, the channel said.
Imran Khan's party has alleged that Gill was tortured in police custody previously and his life remains in danger.