Earlier this week, PTI’s Shahbaz Gill was arrested on charges of sedition and inciting the public against state institutions. Following his arrest, the ICT police raided his driver’s home and maintained that the driver’s family had protested in a government car. Meanwhile, the driver’s wife and their 12-month-old daughter were also taken into custody.
During the Court proceedings on August 11, the girl began crying and was prevented from meeting her mother upon which Civil Judge Salman Badar ordered the girl to be brought to her in the courtroom.
When the judge asked the woman if she wanted to say something, she stated that “the police broke the door and entered, we only came to know when the police had reached our bedroom. Our privacy was not even considered”.
Read more: Islamabad police defend raid at house of Shahbaz Gill’s driver
The wife’s lawyer filed a post-arrest bail petition, on which the court later issued notices. Judicial Magistrate Salman Badar has summoned the police and prosecutor tomorrow, asking for the wife to kept in jail tonight. Twitter users reacted to the news.
The magistrate salman badr is the one who didn’t listen to the post arrest bail yesterday. Hence mother and the baby girl had to spend night in prison. Wish better sense had prevailed. Finally bail granted today #ReleaseBabyGirl
— Hassaan Niazi (@HniaziISF) August 12, 2022
Shireen Mazari took to twitter to share her views
Despite @faisal_fareed her lawyer pointing out to the judge precedence of Nasim Bibi Vs State case 2019 MLD 1157 LHC Lahore where bail is to be granted to mothers with suckling babies. Shameful silence of self proclaimed women rights & HR defenders. Selectivity/donor pressure?
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) August 11, 2022
Today it was revealed how far Imported govt is prepared to go to target not just PTI but families of ppl who may work for PTI person. Duty judge of Distt Court ICT sent on judicial remand young wife of Izhaar who is nursing her 12 mth old baby & only crime is being Izhaar's wife.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) August 11, 2022
Currently, #ReleaseBabyGirl has become a top twitter trend as more and more people are coming forward to tweet in favor of the little girl and her mother.
I don't want this system anymore.
An innocent 10-month-old baby will be spending the night in lockup. What kind of a stance is this?
A convicted Maryam is on bail while these innocent have to spend the night in lockup? #ReleaseBabyGirl pic.twitter.com/yUtBihgJqN— Irfan (@cyber_hon) August 11, 2022
Another user took to twitter to point out the hypocrisy of the system
One country two systems #ReleaseBabyGirl pic.twitter.com/fz535BClv1
— Kamran Muhammad (@iKamranM) August 11, 2022
On the morning of August 12, Sibghatullah Virk, Head of PTI’s Central Media Department took to twitter to announce that the wife and daughter of Gill’s driver have been granted bail.
خزانےسےاربوں لوٹ کرقوم،پارلیمان+عدالت سےصریح جھوٹ بولنے،قومی اداروں خصوصاًافواج+عسکری قیادت کوعالمی سطح پربدنام کرنےاورملکی سیاست،معیشت +سماج تباہ کرنےوالےVIP مجرم کی نجات50روپےمیں اورPTI کےذمہ دارکےمعاون کی بیوی ہونےکےجرم میں ضمانت 30ہزارمیں۔انصاف ہو توایسا! #دو_نہیں_ایک_پاکستان pic.twitter.com/l3lmoICBiC
— Sibghatullah Virk (@SibgatullahVirk) August 12, 2022
In the tweet, he questions the Justice giving institutions by stating that the people who “ruined” national institutions and slandered them, lied to courts and stole from the national treasure were granted bail on Rs.50,000 while a driver’s wife, whose sole crime is being the driver’s wife, has been granted bail on Rs.30,000.
Read more: PTI condemns harassment of family of Shahbaz Gill’s assistant
Meanwhile, Shahbaz Gill has claimed torture in police custody and the Court has granted the police a two-day physical remand of Gill.