SSP-led team constituted to probe case against Gill.

ISLAMABAD -- A day after his arrest in connection with 'hateful remarks' against the army in a TV programme, a four-member special investigation team (SIT) was constituted on Wednesday to probe the case registered against Shahbaz Gill, chief of staff to former prime minister Imran Khan, on several charges, including sedition, Dawn has learnt.

According to a notification, the SIT was tasked with collecting the relevant information from the individuals, officials and departments concerned relating to the case. The SSP investigation will obtain digital information form the Pakistan TeleAcommunication AuthoArity for the purpose of investigation and submit a progress report to the DIG operations within seven days.

The SIT headed by the SSP investigation comprises the sub-divisional police officer and SHO Kohsar and a sub-inspector, who is also an investigation officer of the case.

Shahbaz Gill was arrested from Banigala while on his way to Imran Khan's residence on Tuesday, capital police officers told Dawn. A case was registered against him at Kohsar police station under several sections Pakistan Penal Code, including 124-A (sedition), 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot if rioting be committed; if not committed), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), among others.

According to the FIR, a programme was aired on a news channel in which Shahbaz Gill appeared as a guest. Answering a question, he tried to create a divide between the officers below the rank of brigadier and above, besides trying to affiliate the officers below the rank of brigadier with a political party, it added.

Mr Gill also tried to provoke mutiny among the officers of Pakistan Army and civil servants, asking them not to follow government's orders and threatening them that Pakistan would become a colony of America and India if they do not wage a war or conduct mutiny, the FIR said.

Produced in court

On Wednesday morning, police produced Shahbaz Gill before the court of Judicial Magistrate Omer Shabir. After hearing arguments, the magistrate handed him over to police on a two-day physical remand and asked them to produce him on August 12.

'Investigation officer requested for a 14-day physical remand of the accused [Shahbaz Gill] for purpose of investigation...