ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday confirmed that PTI leader Shahbaz Gill has been arrested by the Islamabad police “in accordance with the law” on charges of sedition and inciting the public against the state institutions.
“He will be presented before a court tomorrow,” he said, adding that a first information report (FIR) had been registered against the PTI leader on behalf of the state.
Sanaullah revealed that the case was registered at a magistrate’s complaint under sections 34 (common intention), 109 (abetment), 120 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment), 121 (waging war against state), 124-A (sedition), 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempt to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 153 (provoking to cause riot), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
In a press conference alongside Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb today, the interior minister claimed that PTI chief Imran Khan had been working on a “narrative” after realising that he had been “trapped” in the foreign funding case and Toshakhana Reference.
“To remove the public’s attention from this, a narrative was formed in a meeting with Imran,” he said. “[During the meeting] Fawad Chaudhry and Shahbaz Gill were given the responsibility of spreading this narrative.
“A private news channel was also involved in this conspiracy,” the minister said, referring to ARY News — which has been issued a show-cause notice by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for airing “hateful and seditious” remarks made by Gill.
Abduction, not arrest, says Imran Khan
Immediately after the news was reported, the ex-premier took to Twitter and said that “this is an abduction, not an arrest”.
“Can such shameful acts take place in any democracy? Political workers treated as enemies,” he said.
Imran also shared a video of Gill’s assistant who claimed that the party leader was “arrested”.
“I wasn’t unlocking the car so after moving it to the side, they also subjected me to violence — look at my neck — and after that, he (Gill) was also handcuffed and they broke the car windows with Kalashnikovs,” the assistant alleged, adding that Gill was dragged around as well and there were around eight to 10 cars.
In a video shared by the PTI’s Twitter account later, the assistant claimed that around 15-20 cars were present during the incident and Gill was roughed up as well.
He added that he was pressed by the unidentified men to hand over Gill’s cellphone but he refused. The assistant said that no warrant or legal documentation was shown during the ordeal.
Ali Awan writes letter
Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, PTI Islamabad President Ali Awan wrote a letter to the Islamabad police, seeking a copy of the first information report (FIR) of Gill’s arrest.
The letter also claimed that Gill was “tortured and humiliated”.
Separately, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid claimed in a video message that his Islamabad residence was raided with “four cars and they sent a white clothes platoon to Lal Haveli”.
Rashid said he did not fear his arrest or going to jail, however, he warned that a warrant should be shown for his arrest, otherwise, “I want to record in front of the entire nation that I carry the legal and constitutional right to defend myself”.
Dr. Shahbaz Gill’s arrest
PTI leader Shahbaz Gill has been arrested in Islamabad today and according to party vice president Fawad Chaudhry and others he was “abducted”. Chaudhry, in a tweet, stated that Gill was picked up from Banigala Chowk by unidentified personnel in cars with missing number plates.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan called the incident as one of abduction, rather than an arrest. “Can such shameful acts take place in any democracy? Political workers treated as enemies,” he said and shared a video of Gill’s assistant who claimed that the party leader was “arrested”.
“I wasn’t unlocking the car so after moving it to the side, they also subjected me to violence — look at my neck — and after that, he (Gill) was also handcuffed and they broke the car windows with Kalashnikovs,” the assistant alleged, adding that Gill was dragged around as well and there were around eight to 10 cars.
In a later video shared by the PTI’s Twitter account, the assistant claimed that a larger number of 15-20 cars was present during the incident and Gill was roughed up as well.
He added that he was pressed by the unidentified men to hand over Gill’s cellphone but he refused. The assistant said that no warrant or legal documentation was shown during the ordeal.
He had also alleged that the “strategic media cell” of the ruling PML-N was spreading false information and fake news to create divisions between PTI chief Imran Khan and the armed forces.
Gill’s controversial comments
A day ago, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had issued a show-cause notice to ARY News for airing comments from Gill, that it said were “highly hateful and seditious” remarks tantamount to “incite armed forces towards revolt”.
The notice went on to say that Gill was invited via a telephonic call for his comments and during his talk with the channel, Gill had alleged that the government was trying to provoke the lower and middle tier of the army against the PTI, saying the families of such “rank and file” support Imran Khan and his party “which is fuelling rage within the government”.
Gill had said the government leaders, including Javed Latif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq, had lambasted the army in the past “and they were at the government positions now”.
Gill had said the government leaders, including Javed Latif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq, had lambasted the army in the past “and they were at the government positions now”.
“The statement made by the guest on ARY News is a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution as well as Pemra laws. Airing of such content on your news channel shows either weak editorial control on the content or the licensee is intentionally indulged in providing its platform to such individuals who intend to spread malice and hatred against state institutions for their vested interests,” the watchdog stated.
“Dr Gill tried to malign the federal government, claiming the government functionaries are spearheading a campaign through social media cell for propagating anti-army narrative.”