ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill has been ‘abducted’ in Islamabad on Tuesday, according to PTI leaders.
PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, through his official Twitter handle, announced that Gill was kidnapped from near Bani Gala Chowk in the federal capital by unidentified individuals who were in vehicles without license plates.
شہباز گل کو بنی گالا چوک سے بغیر نمبر پلیٹ گاڑیوں میں آئے لوگوں نے اغواء کر لیا ہے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) August 9, 2022
PTI leader Murad Saeed also took to Twitter to state that Gill was ‘abducted’ after his car was attacked and his assistant assaulted by unknown individuals.
شہباز گل کی گاڑی پر حملہ آور ہوئے،اسٹنٹ پر تشدد کیا، شہباز گل کو اغوا کر لیا گیا۔ pic.twitter.com/9KBdkAsXGI
— Murad Saeed (@MuradSaeedPTI) August 9, 2022
He further claimed that the abductors broke the windows on Gill’s vehicle.
Murad Saeed questioned how many people the government would arrest and how many journalists it would “ban”.
کس کس کو گرفتار کروگے؟ کتنے صحافیوں پر پابندی لگاؤ گے؟ شہباز گل کی گاڑی کے شیشے بھی توڑ دئے۔ کل رات ایک خوفناک پلان تھا لیکن عمران خان کے جانثاروں نے واضح پیغام دیا عمران خان ریڈ لائن ہے
— Murad Saeed (@MuradSaeedPTI) August 9, 2022
He claimed there was a “terrible plan” was initiated but that the PTI supporters had sent a “clear message” that any action against PTI chief Imran Khan would be overstepping the “red line”.
The PTI’s official media channel posted a video of Gill’s assistant after the abduction, stating that Gill was “arrested” and the assistant himself was “tortured”. The assistant also showed his neck which appeared red and scratched.
He maintained that Gill was handcuffed and the windows of his car were destroyed with Klashinkovs “as if he were a terrorist”. He alleged that eight to ten cars were present on the site for Gill’s “arrest” and that the leader was “dragged” away.
Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari highlighted that local news channel ARY was taken off-screen by the “civilian dictatorship imported government”, following which Gill had been “”arrested” or abducted”.
ARY off screen by this civilian dictatorship Imported govt and now Shahbaz Gill “arrested” or abducted from Bani Gala chowk. So it is clear a critical word and no arrest warrant u will be taken away! This is the grand design of US regime change conspiracy & its abettors.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) August 9, 2022
She maintained that any “critical word” against the government would garner “no arrest warrant [and] you will be taken away”.
Mazari alleged that this was the “grand design of [the] US regime change conspiracy and its abettors”.
PTI leader Babar Awan also took to Twitter and claimed that the arrest of Gill in the manner of an “abduction was condemnable” and showed how “scared” the government was. He urged the government to show some modesty and release Gill.
شہباز گل کی اغوا کے انداز میں گرفتاری انتہائی قابلِ مذمت ہے، اِس بات کا ثبوت بھی کہ لوگوں کو ڈرانے والے خود کس قدر خوف زدہ ہیں۔ امپورٹڈ حکومت، اب تو حیا کرو، شہباز گل کو رہا کرو۔
— Babar Awan (@BabarAwanPK) August 9, 2022
Imran calls ’emergency meeting’
According to sources, PTI chief Imran Khan has summoned an emergency meeting to consider the situation arising from Shahbaz Gill’s arrest.
The meeting will also consider approaching courts today regarding the arrest, sources said.
Moreover, all key leaders of the PTI were alerted in fear of more arrests.