IHC orders another medical examination of Gill

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ordered the concerned authorities to conduct a second medical examination of Shahbaz Gill while a sessions court in Islamabad ordered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader to be kept in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) until Monday. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb was hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Tereek-e-Insaaf leaders Asad Umer and Babar Awan against Gill’s alleged torture requesting the formation of “a medical board consisting of impartial doctors for medical examination”. Citing media reports of Gill’s physical abuse in police custody, the PTI leaders had requested that the police be “prevented from taking a confession through pressurising” him. The petition had also claimed that the “sole purpose” of keeping Gill in police custody was to “torture” him and claimed that his physical and mental condition was “not good; which is a threat to his life”. During the proceedings today, Justice Aurangzeb inquired that “when a medical report exists, then isn’t there a medical board in place?”. “We are requesting an impartial medical board,” Babar Awan replied claiming that “the doctors who are present in the medical board are not experts in some diseases”. “It may be any doctor but a private medical board should be formed with doctors from all four provinces,” he added. Read ‘Shame on us’: PPP senator lashes out at govt for ‘physical torture’ on PTI’s Gill “Would it not be better to leave this matter to the Hoe Secretary?” responded the judge. Babar Awan in response clarified that the request was for a board consisting of “unbiased private doctors and not government doctors”. He further implored the court to “ensure the protection of Shahbaz Gill’s life and fundamental rights”. “When Shahbaz Gill was presented before the magistrate after his arrest, there were signs of torture. Shahbaz Gill showed the signs of police torture to the judicial magistrate and the magistrate granted judicial remand after two days of physical remand,” argued Awan. He also told the court that later an appeal was filed by the federal government to review the magistrate’s decision which was rejected. The federal government then approached the IHC whereby police were granted another two days’ physical remand of Gill. Justice Aurangzeb then inquired how the current medical board was formed to which Awan responded by saying that it was “created under the direction of a female judge” of the lower court who had granted Gill’s remand. Read More Minister, PTI leaders trade insults on Gill’s remand “I will pass an order on this,” the judge remarked. “Even if it a case of high treason, torture or beating on specific parts is not allowed,” Awan stated. Awan also said that the constitution and fundamental rights posit that “you cannot touch anyone whatever the case [against the accused] may be”. “A university professor is being tortured into confessing on whose request he committed the crime,” he continued. After the arguments were completed the court ordered a second medical examination to be conducted, remarking that “Shahbaz Gill is a patient of asthma, he should be tested”.

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