IHC reserves verdict on plea in Gill’s remand

ISLAMABAD (INP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on the admissibility of the federal government’s petition against the rejection of an extension in the physical remand of senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill sought under a separate plea in a sedition case.
Islamabad Advocate-General Jahangir Jadoon, on August 13, had moved the IHC seeking its order to declare the decision taken by the district and sessions court null and void while extending the physical remand of Shahbaz Gill, a close aide of PTI Chairperson Imran Khan. The court had served a notice to Gill on Monday. IHC acting Chief Justice resumed the hearing of the government’s petition today.
“It is not the jurisdiction of the high court to see for how long an accused has to be remanded. No matter how serious the offence is, only the magistrate is to look into the matter of remand,” Justice Farooq said.
Meanwhile, the court took up Shahbaz Gill’s plea – seeking dismissal of the FIR against him – for hearing together with the government’s plea. Accusing the police of lodging a sedition case against him on the directives of the federal government, Gill pleaded with the IHC to declare the FIR against him null and void. He maintained that the case registered against him is based on malice, adding that the Islamabad Police registered the case to show its loyalty to the government.